


Within You

by rocketscientist07



Category: Bloodbound (Visual Novel)
Genre: Adventure, Angst, F/F, F/M, Gen, Minor Nightbound Crossover, Romance, Without You Sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:41:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 101,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21813844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rocketscientist07/pseuds/rocketscientist07
Summary: One year after defeating Gaius, the gang has finally found peace… Until a tragic incident awakens the ultimate and most dangerous threat they ever faced.
Relationships: Kamilah Sayeed/Main Character (Bloodbound)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> \- Sequel to the fics For You, In The Daylight and Without You. You can read all of them here.  
> \- Sorry to everyone who liked my plot about The First Vampire. I wrote it before Book 2 release and now I really felt like changing it, as I want to explore some characters and elements from the original BB universe in this fic.   
> \- Slightly NSFW alert/Minor Nightbound crossover

**Lysimachus**

The previous night had been intense. A failed attempt to perform a ritual to bring back a loved one resulted in someone summoning some sort of demon instead. It took three hunters to contain the threat. Even being a vampire, Lysimachus still felt sore and bruised from the battle.

"What time is it?" He rubbed his eyes and checked his phone screen. 9:36 AM. And about ten unread messages from his sister. Kamilah was extremely upset because he hadn't picked up her calls.

"Same old Kamilah," even almost two years after their reunion, her habit of acting so overprotective of him would never die. He needed to let her know, every single day, he was alive and well. "Oh shit."

The last message wasn't another complaint, but a summoning from Adrian. A Council meeting was scheduled for that night. Being one of the six Clan leaders, he was forced to attend. The subject was said to be highly important and related to his personal interests.

He wondered what could it be this time. Since defeating Gaius, they had been living _normally_. Some groups tried to follow his lead and start a rebellion in New York, but they were easily contained by Kamilah, Adrian and the others. Their biggest issue they had was his sister's disastrous honeymoon. She and Amy chose a private island in Greece as destination, where they had a nasty encounter with the Order Of Dawn, a secret society formed by some of the most elite and efficient killers in the world. Their sole mission was the eradication of their kind.

If there was an organization Lysimachus hated to his guts, that was the Order. Not only because they rejected him in the past, when he was still a vampire hunter, but because they acted fanatical and biased about their views. It was very pleasant to see their headquarters being burned to the ground, but what they discovered deep down the compound changed everything they knew so far... the tree that originated their bloodline. The Tree Of Eternal Life.

The secret files they found in the Order Of Dawn's computer told an entire different story about their origins. They were all wrong, including Jameson. The First Vampire, supposedly helped by a goddess, drank blood from the tree. Which granted her all the power she possessed.

There was an attachment on Adrian's email. Lysimachus opened it and started reading. He had been studying the tree's blood. And from the results, that story was being proved to be real.

After a quick showering, he went to the same usual diner for coffee and breakfast. The owner, Hazel, was a very sympathetic Fae, giving every meal a personal touch of her magic.

"Morning," Lysimachus greeted, "the usual, bacon and eggs, and... Espresso, extra strong please. I'm gonna need it today."

He glanced at the very end of the diner, at the most secluded booth, near the old jukebox. Lysimachus could barely see her short figure with magenta hair hidden behind the daily newspaper.

"And a blueberry French toast for the lady, please."

Lysimachus sat down right in front of her, who barely noticed his presence until she dropped the newspaper she was reading.

"Hello to you too," he joked, facing her closely.

"Oh, hey," Katherine removed her sunglasses, revealing the results of a poor night of sleep and complete exhaustion. "I came here for some coffee. I don't think I can make through the day without it."

"Same."

"All I can hope is no one will be doing anything stupid tonight. I don't think I can't handle."

Lysimachus let out a small laugh. They had been working together for one year now, hunting supernatural threats and protecting magical artifacts. There was some romance in between, but nothing serious or official. Katherine wasn't the kind who created too many attachments. Neither was him.

"Don't tell me," yet, he felt bad for leaving her behind. Her company was enjoyable. "I'm suppose to go to New York tonight. Council meeting."

Katherine stared at him in silence for a moment before rolling her eyes.

"Why do you even agree to be part of that vampire elitist crap? Isn't it exactly what you always hated and wanted to abolish?"

"I... uh..."

He didn't exactly have an answer. After The Baron's death, he was immediately chosen to have his seat. He rarely spent time in New York though, he mostly traveled through America and other parts of the world, seeking for vampires in dangerous situations, in need of a Brand or protection.

"It's for a greater good," he lied. The position was kinda imposed to him.

"Sure," Katherine let out an ironic chuckle. "Whatever you tell yourself."

Through his cell phone, Lysimachus scheduled the first flight back home. While he couldn't wait to hear his twin sister's complaints about his constant absence, there was one person he wished to avoid at any cost... Priya Lacroix.

"I'll be back next week," he assured Katherine. "But if there's any emergency..."

"You know I can handle it own my own," she interrupted. "But as for _you_ , watch out for threats with brown hair, sharp fangs and red eyes. She was spotted at Alicia's former club several times in the last few months. Don’t even try to tell me she wasn’t stalking you."

Before he could answer, she stood up and walked away, leaving him wondering if that could be an act of jealousy or only her usual bad mood in the morning.

* * *

**Kamilah**

"Anything else you need, Mrs. Sayeed?"

"Could you gift-wrap this for me, please?"

Kamilah sighed in relief as she accommodated herself on the comfortable seat of her private jet. She thanked the universe, and the humankind, for the existence of airport shops. She was so busy during her business trip to Paris she didn't have time to pick her wife a proper gift for their one year wedding anniversary. If there was one thing she considered extremely necessary was to spoil Amy. Though the girl refused to admit, she loved being spoiled.

Yet, she couldn't grant her the one gift she wanted the most, being Turned. They only had one conversation about this and Kamilah gave her a definite answer. When she reached her thirties, age when she was Turned herself, they'd finally discuss this again. Amy obviously wasn't thrilled about it.

Kamilah opened her laptop, attempting to chat with her brother, but he wasn't online. He was never online, or even answered phone calls, after he started this new lifestyle. Adrian messaged all the Clan leaders requesting a meeting to discuss important information, and she'd be truly angry if her twin brother wasn't there.

During the flight, she took some time to read the papers Serafine Dupont delivered her before her departure. She only met Amy once, during their honeymoon in Greece and an incident with the Order Of Dawn. Being a psychic vampire, it was enough for her to take some conclusions about her wife.

_Bloodkeeper_ , Kamilah read. The parallel line that descended from the Tree Of Eternal Life. Passed to one woman, born in every generation and triggered by the contact with vampires. They had the ability to access every memory, from every vampire that ever walked on Earth.

That was the most coherent answer of why her visions were increasing. Being married to a vampire, Amy couldn't be any closer to that world. Somehow Kamilah felt relieved. After all, the prophecy previously made by Wright's cult in London was mostly wrong. What made Amy special, was her bloodline. She was no _Chosen One_ to bring the First Vampire back to life. That was nothing but a myth created by old civilizations and passed along to their descendants. Only one of the many legends regarding their main ancestor.

She closed her eyes, trying to get some rest before her arrival, but Serafine's last words were still repeating inside her mind.

" _There's more about Amy than it shows. I could sense something within her... a darkness._ "

Hours later, she was finally back in New York. It had passed 7 PM and her penthouse was dark and silent. She sighed, placing her bags near the front door. Amy should still be working at Ahmanet Financial. She was about to make her way to the master suite when someone jumped on her back.

"Surprise!" She recognized her wife's cheerful voice. "Please don't go to the dinning room, I'm not done yet."

"Amy..." Kamilah said, still stunned by the surprise. "I couldn't sense your presence and you're not even a vampire. How on earth do you manage to do that?"

"Practice I guess? By being married to a vampire?"

"I suppose you're right. Anyways, what were you up to in the dinning room?"

"Wait a sec," Amy disappeared through the corridor for a few minutes. "Stay right here."

Kamilah waited patiently, examining her surroundings and being surprised the penthouse was very organized, even in her absence.

_"We're making some progress,"_ she thought.

"You can come now."

The female vampire followed her wife, finding a candlelight dinner waiting for her. A huge smile appeared on her face. After she teased Amy a little bit about her cooking skills, they exchanged a few quick kisses and sat down to eat. Kamilah picked one special bottle of wine from her collection. She glanced at her wife, putting on some music on the stereo. Amy had the most beautiful and pure smile on her face. Serafine could only be wrong. There was no darkness inside her. Only light.

"So," at the table Amy's expression changed a little, "how much did you speak to _her_?"

"Who?" Kamilah took a sip of her wine. She already knew the answer.

"You know who I'm talking about."

After some alcohol in Greece, Serafine let slip some juicy details about their quick affair in the past, what caused Amy to become extremely jealous of her.

"Only enough," Kamilah assured her. "Small talk, work and... about _you_."

"What about _me_?" Amy raised her voice, clearly annoyed.

"Your visions. They're increasing, Amy. I needed answers."

"And what did _the expert_ told you?"

"You're a _Bloodkeeper_."

* * *

**Amy**

_Bloodkeeper_. A rare kind of human that possessed the ability of accessing every vampire's memories. Amy shook her head in denial.

_"One more label to the list,"_ she thought. _"Damsel in distress, The Chosen One, Bloodkeeper..."_

She entered the bathtub, that was in just in the perfect temperature. Everything was perfect in her life right now. The penthouse she lived with Kamilah, her high-ranked job at Ahmanet Financial, the business classes she was taking, their marriage... yet, she couldn't help feeling there was something missing. Since her death experience, she was constantly feeling empty, incomplete. Something she couldn't explain.

" _I know what it is,_ " her mother told, when she shared these feelings, obviously omitting all the supernatural and eerie part. " _Motherhood. Your biological clock is ticking._ "

" _Mom, I'm only twenty-four. And no, we're not even considering this possibility yet._ "

Deep down, she knew what would fill that hole. She knew exactly what she needed. She wanted to be Turned. Amy intended to keep all the promises she made in her vows, except for one: _'til death do us part_. They could skip that part. It could be easily replaced by: _'til Turning makes us eternal_.

When she left the bathroom, Kamilah was getting dressed for the Council meeting. She picked something formal, yet more casual, instead of her usual suits. Even after being together for two years, Amy was always impressed by how stunning she looked. Her wife would look great in anything she wore, even in the costume Lily designed her for their last Halloween party.

"I forgot..." She sighed, recomposing herself. "I printed the reports from the last few days, I left them on the office's desk."

"I don't need to see them," Kamilah shrugged. "I trust you, you run that company so well as I do."

"You're gonna make me believe it someday."

"It's true. Your communication skills have gotten us profitable deals, attracted new clients and everybody loves the improvements you suggested. Trust me, you're doing absolutely great."

Amy sat down by her side in bed and laced her fingers with hers. She felt a little remorseful for arguing with Kamilah as soon as she came home. She had all the right in the world to be concerned. Living for over two millennia, she had done things she deeply regretted, and having Amy to watch them, like a movie, should be truly upsetting.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm just... sick of all of this. All these names and speculations about me. Can't I just be... _Amy_? _Amy, the regular mortal_?"

"You're far from regular. You're the most remarkable person I've ever met," Kamilah tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Whatever you are, Amy Sayeed, I love you."

"I love you too."

Amy wrapped her arms around her wife's waist, kissing all the way up from her neck until her soft lips. She kissed them passionately for minutes. While their tongues moved together, Kamilah’s hands moved down to the knot on her bathrobe, untying it and exposing her naked body.

“I missed you,” her nails softly raked Amy’s stomach, “so much.”

“And so did I,” Amy whispered in her ear. “But you were always on my imagination, you know?”

Her last sentence sparkled Kamilah’s attention, who raised a curious eyebrow.

“Oh really? Have you been having fun without me?”

“Quite a bit, if you ask me.”

That was one of Amy's favorite manners to provoke her wife when she was away on her business trips. Or she'd ask her opinion on which underwear she should wear that night, followed by pictures. It had the power of causing some interesting effects when the female vampire got home.

Kamilah's hand traveled down her body and stopped in the middle of her legs, touching her most sensitive spot only to tease her.

"After this Council meeting," she spoke in her usual demanding tone, "you better be prepared."

* * *

**Kamilah**

Adrian requested to see Kamilah in particular, one hour before the meeting started. He wanted her to be the first one to see his findings in person. She and Amy arrived at Raines Corporation at 11 PM, Lily was already there, preparing the slide-shows. While the girls got distracted, speaking about their video games and favorite TV shows, Kamilah followed Adrian to the laboratory.

"Is it..." her eyes went wide as she observed the ancient, marble sarcophagus in the middle of a highly secured room.

"Yes," Adrian told. "I retrieved it from that underground temple in London. But..."

"But?"

"It's not the First Vampire in there."

"What?! What about Amy's visions when she was in that death state? She saw her. She spoke to her."

"Indeed, she spoke to her trapped spirit, but, this? This is unreal, Kamilah. The First Vampire's body is stored somewhere else."

That wasn't the only one of his findings. Since the discovery of the Tree Of Eternal Life, Adrian obtained many samples of its blood for studying purposes. The blood that started both of their lines, Vampires and Bloodkeepers. The blood that was rumored to be the ultimate source of power.

"The results are absolutely impressive," he explained. "For example, besides finding out this body is not the First's, I concluded that what truly killed Gaius was Amy's blood, not that stake. The Bloodkeeper blood in contact with his heart, had the ability of destroying an ancient vampire."

"So?"

"Unlike ours, her blood has no impurities."

He drove her to another section of the laboratory, where the samples of the blood were being studied for different purposes. One of them, was Adrian's most proud creation, a serum that could cure Ferals and prevent new vampires from developing that condition.

"What about the the other samples?" Kamilah asked, her eyes running through the screens and laboratory machinery in front of her.

"One of them is to give us more time in the sunlight."

That was no problem for Kamilah. Her ring still worked perfectly, even after some time. And so did her brother's and... Priya's. Lacroix's new line of swimming suits and beach outfits was hit during the last summer.

"And these," Adrian's lips turned into a smile, "my two biggest dreams. Two projects in development."

"Don't tell me you're trying to become human again?" Kamilah rolled her eyes.

"It could be an alternative. Kamilah, some of us never wished or adapted to this life."

"Fair enough."

That wasn't the case for her. After 2065 years, she was pretty comfortable being a Vampire. With Amy, she was enjoying her life at fullest now.

"This one is my top secret project," Adrian showed her another sample. "It's uh... a project for us to be able to reproduce. I don't know what results it could bring and I have no one willing to test."

Kamilah quickly dismissed that subject. Being a mother was something she never considered before, not as mortal, even less as vampire. At the moment, Amy completely agreed with that decision. They still had a lot to experience together before taking such a big step in their relationship.

She returned to the main hall, where a surprise awaited for her. Her long missing twin brother had finally showed up.

"Well," Kamilah crossed her arms and frowned. "Hello, stranger."

Lysimachus didn't say anything, he only involved her in a bone-crushing hug and messed up her perfectly lined hair.

"I missed you too, sister."

"Well, your life must be active in New Orleans as you barely have time to call anymore."

"Sorry," he smiled. "I've been quite busy."

"When am I going to meet _her_?" Kamilah playfully elbowed him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Together, they followed to Adrian's conference room, where the meeting was about to start.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Since the night of Kamilah's wedding, Lysimachus had permanently cut ties with Priya. The only few times they met were during Council meetings or when she was visiting New Orleans by occasion. The fashion designer wasn't obviously interested in changing for better, or maintaining a healthy relationship. All she ever cared about was her fame, status and herself.

As usual, she made her late entrance in the conference room, eyes focused on her cell phone and pretending to not notice his presence.

Kamilah started with the formalities and, before passing the word to Adrian, she asked:

"We have some important information to be shared tonight, but before that, anyone has another subject that should be discussed in this meeting?"

"I do," for the first time Priya looked at him. "I'm starting a petition to impeach Council members that who are mostly absent from meetings and have a questionable conduct, such as hunting their own kind or sharing private information. Also, the Pact clearly states that every member should be a New York resident."

Lysimachus ignored her desperate attempt to insult him. He should be expecting that. Priya would attack him in every opportunity she had. Three of the projects he proposed to the Council were denied because of her.

"I meant..." Kamilah sighed, "another _important_ subject."

"I'm getting married!" Lester announced, standing up from his chair. "We've met during my visit to a ranch in Texas. She's a cowgirl and horses aren't the _only_ thing she's good at riding, you know..."

"What?" Lily and Jax asked at the same time, exchanging looks. "Ewww."

"I never thought I'd say that," Amy said, "but I miss The Baron. At least with him we had all these interesting murder and betrayal accusations, instead of... _this_!"

Kamilah only shook her head and gave Adrian a signal to proceed with his subject. While Lily set up the technological part, they still had to hear Lester bragging about his fiancée for some very long minutes.

"Congratulations," Lysimachus tried to make him stop before it became to graphic for everybody's sake.

"Yeah," Priya smirked sarcastically. "Maybe you're next, Hunter. I mean, after you sell out our heads to your girlfriend, she'll want to stick around."

It was becoming too much for him.

"I never shared a single bit of information we discuss in this room with my co-workers from New Orleans!"

"Can you all shut up?!" Kamilah angered. "Relationship counseling is in a different building. Two blocks away."

The presentation started. He knew what Adrian was about to share, being a former member of his company he had sent him all the research results he managed to obtain beforehand. Now, they were finally having access to real information about their origins and all the potential the blood from the Tree had, not only to create but to destroy.

"Any further comments?" Adrian inquired.

"I'm not a disgusting Feral, I can walk in the sunlight and I have no interest having children," Priya headed to the exit. "Can I leave now? My new collection isn't going to draw itself."

As she opened the door, another female figure was standing outside. Everyone turned their heads and stopped to watch. Katherine walked into the conference room, going straight to Adrian.

"Adrian Raines? I've obtained confidential information that, not only you're in the possession of the First Vampire's blood, but has been using it for research."

"That's correct."

"Being it considered one of the most powerful and ancient artifact, I've been hired to monitor it closely."

"Why don't you follow me to my office?"

As they both left, the whole room stared directly at Lysimachus, even his own sister. He had absolutely nothing to do with that, except... that he remembered connecting his cell phone to Katherine's computer one night to sync some files.

" _Fuck!_ " He thought. He couldn't have acted so careless.

Priya stood by the door with a victorious grin on her face.

"I told you so," she said before leaving.

* * *

**Amy**

When they finally made back home, a heavy rain started pouring outside. Kamilah was completely stressed, pacing around her home office. At first, she thought to be a scheme plotted by Priya against her brother, until he admitted his mistake. Yet, someone had indeed hired Katherine to have deep access to Adrian's research and they couldn't figure out who.

"I always knew my brother was making a mistake getting involved with those people," Kamilah vented to her. "Sooner or later, it was bound to happen."

"Do you think Priya is actually right?" Amy massaged her wife's tense shoulders. "That he must pick, between New Orleans or being a Council member?"

"The more I hate to admit it, yes. Lacroix is right this time, Amy. Even though my brother has done an amazing job as Clan leader, he can't keep a double life as Nighthunter. He may have put us all in danger, that was the most important information we had in ages."

"And what do we do now?"

They had been together long enough for Amy to decipher all Kamilah's looks. The one she had at the moment meant she was about to suggest something she wouldn't like.

"No..." Amy scowled. "Absolutely not."

"Amy," Kamilah closed her eyes, trying to stay patient. "Adrian agreed. Being a psychic vampire, Serafine can debrief her."

"Doesn't your brother knows how to debrief people? Why her?"

"He's not doing it. Lysimachus thinks it's too extreme and could put her in danger with her employee."

"Okay," Amy threw her hands in defeat, "it's for a good cause I guess. But she's staying away from you."

"Of course."

Suddenly, Kamilah had her pinned down to the bed, eyes red in desire.

"I love when you're jealous," her nail traced Amy's cheek. "I can sense the insecurity in your heart, the fear of losing me to someone else, the thought that you're too inexperienced..."

Kamilah was right. Amy had all of that in mind when it came to Serafine, Gaius or even her Italian girlfriend. The flashes that were now often popping-up in her mind of their moments together only made it worse.

"But truth is..." she whispered in her ear, "no one has made me ever feel _this_ _way_ before," Kamilah placed Amy's hand on her chest, where she could feel her heart beating fast.

"Really?"

Kamilah didn't answer, her eyes were determined to prove Amy her feelings. She drove Amy's hand to another spot, inside her underwear.

"Or _this way_. You have the power of driving me completely crazy."

"Okay," Amy smiled in satisfaction, feeling how much her wife wanted her. "I see your point now."

She wanted her too. She wanted her really badly. Their mouths had just found each other when a cell phone started buzzing.

"Ignore it," Kamilah ordered, against her mouth. "I don't want to hear anything else, other than you saying my name loud tonight."

It continued. And Amy tried to keep her focus on the tips of Kamilah's fangs brushing her neck. But the buzzing wouldn't stop, for some reason it seemed to grow louder. It was entering her ears causing discomfort. Penetrating her brain like if it was ringing inside it.

"I'm going to pick up," Amy told, pushing her away. "All this noise is giving me a headache."

"Huh?!" Kamilah furrowed her brows confused. "I can barely hear it, it's coming from your purse in the living room."

As Amy grabbed her phone, the number of missed calls scared her but no more than the text from her mother.

"Amy, what's wrong?"

She couldn't answer. She just stared at the screen paralyzed in horror.

"K-Kamilah... it’s my dad... h-he's in hospital. He had a heart attack!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Sequel to the fics For You, In The Daylight and Without You. You can read all of them here.  
> \- I’m sorry for taking so long. I’ve been very busy for the last few days. Also, I wanted this chapter to be perfect, as it’s extremely important to the plot.  
> \- Happy Holidays!

**Kamilah**

"Your hands are shaking. Why don't you take a cup of tea and calm down?"

Kamilah went to the kitchen and prepared her wife a special tea to ease her stress in such a difficult moment. Amy was sitting on the couch, crying in silence while she attempted to contact her mother.

When she returned to the living room, the girl had an entire different look on her face. Kamilah looked into her eyes, they seemed bottomless and without any emotion.

"Amy?"

"Don't ask me to calm down when my dad could be dying," she said coldly, before heading to their bedroom and starting to shove some clothes inside a small luggage.

Amy wasn't acting like herself. Again. She was an impulsive person, even reckless sometimes, but that was something completely different. Aside from her look becoming vague, she'd become extremely angry and aggressive.

It had happened a couple of times since they returned from Greece. The first, triggered by a small mistake she made at Ahmanet Financial that resulted in a contract loss. The second, one night after her visions about Kamilah's past started to increase. In both cases, she'd act distant and cold for a few days. Closed inside her own shell.

That had nothing to do with being a Bloodkeeper. Adrian thought it could be some sort of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after her near-death experience.

"Amy," Kamilah spoke softly, trying to get her to hear. "We can go in my private jet by the morning. Driving right now could be dangerous, look at the rain falling outside."

She wouldn't listen. Amy continued packing her clothes like Kamilah wasn't even present. The female vampire sighed and went to her home office.

"Adrian," she said through the phone. "It's me. It's happening again."

She told him about Amy's father and how it triggered her strange behavior for a third time.

"You know what concerns me. It all began since we discovered the Tree."

Adrian didn't believe it was possible, but Kamilah had a bad feeling about that situation from the start. The First Vampire had once tried to kill Amy to return to life. Whatever their connection was, their lives were bounded by something powerful. A power where Amy's death would make possible for her to walk on the Earth again.

Kamilah only knew her through legends and stories told by Gaius, but it was enough to know she wouldn't easily give up. Especially when she had been so close to obtain what she wanted.

"What should I do?" She asked.

_"Give her space. But go with her, don't leave her alone in under circumstances."_

When Kamilah hung up, she only had time to see Amy passing through the corridor, carrying her bags. She quickly changed her clothes and followed her to the garage, using her vampire speed.

"I'm coming with you," she was already inside the car when Amy finished placing her stuff in the trunk. "I'm driving."

The girl didn't complain or express any emotion. She simply sat on the passenger seat in complete silence, staring at nothing.

Kamilah started driving, but that tightness in her chest only increased as she followed to the road. She knew something terrible was about to come, yet she couldn't tell _when_. Or _how_.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Even two years later, Lysimachus hadn't completely earned the trust of all Council members. The mistrust surrounding him had gone worse when he began to work as a Nighthunter in New Orleans.

His chair on the Council was hanging by a thread now. Though he no longer feared a death punishment, Jax, Adrian and even his sister could be supporting Priya and Lester against him after such a huge mistake.

"I can't simply erase her mind, Adrian," he told. "What about her employee? A big person is behind this. They'd certainly seek for revenge."

"Go home," Adrian advised him, "talk to her. Try to make her spill who's paying her. We can go after them."

"Okay."

Before heading to his apartment, Lysimachus invited Katherine to the nearest bar. It'd be their first conversation since her appearance in the Council meeting.

"How could you betray me like this?"

"I never betrayed you," she was sitting on a stool next to him, playing with her glass and with an annoyed look on her face. "As soon as you left the diner, a lot of zeros suddenly appeared in my bank account. Then, my phone rang. Somebody wanted to hire me to monitor Raines' research. Well... I remembered your file, that was accidentally on my phone."

"And used it in your favor!"

She rolled her eyes and stared at him for a moment, in silence.

"I couldn't say no, don't judge me."

He sighed and shook his head in denial. After one year working together and being partners, he'd never expect this act coming from her.

"Do you have any idea of what your friend is in possession?" Katherine continued. "In the wrong hands, it could spread chaos and destroy the entire human race."

"But it's not in wrong hands, okay? Adrian has been studying it for good purposes."

"Wrong hands, like _mine_?"

They both turned around to see Priya standing right behind them, with a malicious grin and her phone pointed to them.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the biggest traitor of them all?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Lysimachus questioned, wondering if his night could become any worse.

"It's a public place," she answered. "I come here occasionally, when I'm too bored in my _big mansion_."

Something in the way she said _'big_ _mansion'_ suggested she was attempting to insult Katherine. Knowing the Nighthunter, Lysimachus knew she wouldn't simply ignore it.

"Big mansions can be quite of a pain in the ass," she lamented. "I remember when I lived in one."

"Not when you have houseboys to serve you."

Priya joined them at the bar and ordered herself a drink. Recognizing her, the bartender said it was for free. Lysimachus just stood there, observing the scene and thinking of a manner to stop the conversation, that would certainly end badly.

"Oh so it's true," Katherine sounded curious and sarcastic at the same time. "You _do_ fill your house with sex slaves."

"Better than living in an empty penthouse, don't you think?"

"How do you…" the point Katherine stood up to face Priya in a challenging manner was enough for him to intervene.

"Can you both just stop?" He asked. "Priya, why don't you go home?"

"Whatevs," she shrugged, swallowing her drink in one sip. "I've got exactly what I wanted here."

She played an audio file on her cell phone, when Katherine admitted she had access to Adrian's file.

"If you want I can kill her for you," Katherine suggested as Priya left. "I have a good aim when it comes to vampires."

"I'm sure we can solve it in another manner," he told, considering the alternative Kamilah gave him. Debriefing her would be the most correct thing to do, but first he had to know with who he'd be dealing with later.

* * *

**Amy**

" _She just don't get it. Kamilah only cares about her own interests. She doesn't have any empathy for you at all!_ "

Amy shook her head, dismissing that thought. It had happened again. Her emotions and thoughts got out of control, leading her to act aggressively.

Depression. Anxiety. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Schizophrenia. A quick research on the internet suggested she could have any of these disorders. She'd take every opportunity when Kamilah was out of New York to visit a therapist. Dr. Blackwood was new in the city. One of the first vampires Lysimachus marked with his Brand, he chose a Scarab design to represent his Clan. Amy could vent and confess her everything, including the supernatural, without the fear of being labeled as crazy.

After a few sessions, her results were still inconclusive. Exams didn't show anything wrong with her. Medications weren't effective.

A sudden wave of unhappiness filled her heart. Not only because of her dad. Or because she how badly she had treated her wife. It was something bigger. Something she could not explain. Tears started streaming down her face.

"Amy," Kamilah gently placed her hand on top of hers. "Everything is going to be okay."

She was very focused on the road, making a lot of effort to see ahead. The rain had gotten even worse after they left.

" _What a stupid idea,_ " Amy thought. " _I should have waited until the morning._ "

"Your father is still young, the chances of recovery are very high at his age. Besides, in case he needs better care, we can ask him to be transferred to the best medical facility in New York."

Kamilah continued to speak. She tried to focus on her voice or the warmness of her hand, but the thoughts started again.

" _She doesn't even like your parents._ "

It wasn't true. The female vampire's efforts to gain her parents approval were finally showing results. Her dad loved to hear her stories about Egypt and her mom would spend hours talking to Kamilah about finances. She focused her thoughts on their last Holidays together, where they all went to a ski resort.

"Thanks," thinking of her family made those negative thoughts disappear. "And I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I just…"

Her crying wouldn't let her proceed.

"It's okay," Kamilah squeezed her hand. "It's a scary situation. It's normal your emotions are overwhelmed."

It was time to tell her. They had been together for two years. Kamilah was the person she trusted the most in the entire universe.

"I'm seeing a doctor for a few months now. I didn't want to tell you until she had a conclusion, but… there isn't any."

Although she did her best to hide, she could tell her words had impact on Kamilah.

"Well, if there isn't any explanation in science, we need to consider our other option here."

"The supernatural," Amy concluded.

"Exactly," Kamilah looked at her with a nervous smile on the corners of her lips. "Do you think..."

That fraction of second she took her eyes from the road to look at Amy, she missed it. There was a woman, dressed in white standing in the middle of the road. Even with the heavy rain, Amy was able to distinguish her glowing red eyes and the blood in her vests. Her eyes widened in fear.

"Kamilah! Look out!"

By impulse, she grabbed the wheel, pulling to the other side of the road. The asphalt was wet and slippery, what made it impossible for her to regain control.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Being a Nighthunter for at least 10 years, Katherine was very cautious of her steps. Knowing this, Lysimachus couldn't raise any suspicions, he needed to act naturally.

If he couldn't get her to speak, he needed to take extreme measures. He offered her to spend the night at his apartment, until she found a place to stay.

"It can be dangerous," he said. "A Nighthunter alone in New York City. Some vampires may feel threatened and attack you."

"Oh really?"

With a mischievous smirk, Katherine exhibited her skills. In one stunt, she pinned him against the wall and pointed a sharp stake directly to his heart.

"I mean it, Katherine. You never know what Clan leaders are capable of. They can be a bunch of snakes when it comes to their interests."

"Does that include you?"

"Why are you asking?"

"You were so gentle to invite me to your place, when you're on thin ice with the Council," she pressed the stake a little harder, almost perforating his chest. "I've done my research about you in the past, you're a vampire with psychic abilities. You're going to erase my memories."

"I would never," Lysimachus told, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I just want to talk. About your employee."

Katherine finally released him.

"I know nothing about them."

"Not even a name, or a gender?"

"The person I spoke on the phone, it was a man. He had an accent... Greek maybe."

Considering how tired she had been, after a shower, it didn't take long for Katherine to fall into a deep sleep. Lysimachus carefully took her laptop from her baggage and started to investigate.

First, he tried to trace the money back to its sender. It took him to a bank in Prague. Then, he tried Katherine's cell phone. Anonymous number.

They'd certainly call again, and all he had to do was to make sure he'd listen to the conversation.

"I'm so sorry, Katherine," he tapped both of her devices. "It's for your own good."

After placing everything back in place, he waited. He laid on the couch and pretended to be asleep. There was a lot on his mind at the moment. Besides his problems with the Council, Kamilah had sent him a message. Amy's father was going through something bad.

Maybe he was tired, or only paranoid, but living for over 2000 years and having psychic skills, he knew when something dark and dangerous was approaching. And that was what his senses were alerting him of right now.

" _I should call Kamilah to check if everything's fine,_ " Lysimachus thought.

As he grabbed his phone, Katherine's started ringing in the bedroom. He went to the kitchen and secretly listened to the conversation.

" _Raines thought he was in possession of the First Vampire's body, but DNA tests proved him wrong,_ " she told her employee.

" _Right..._ " the male voice paused at the other side of the line. " _What about the research?_ "

" _I've had access to the results. He also presented them to me during my visit. So far, he has obtained positive results for a serum to cure Ferals and to make vampires walk in the sunlight._ "

" _Has he considered ingesting the blood himself?_ "

" _No. He told me it would be too dangerous._ "

" _Is it safe in his laboratory?_ "

" _I suppose it is, but..._ " Katherine paused. " _Now the information is in the hands of the infamous Council Of New York, I wouldn't trust them. Especially Priya Lacroix._ "

" _I see. I'm going to New York to observe closer,_ " the man told. " _I expect to meet you._ "

" _Sure._ "

Lysimachus opened his laptop. Another anonymous, untraceable call. At least now he knew the man was coming for them. After getting the date, time and address, Katherine could be debriefed and he'd assure her safety.

* * *

**Amy**

Amy stood paralyzed and nauseous as the car finally stopped, colliding with a tree. All her surroundings were spinning, her head ached intensely and she was unable to even think. What the hell happened? The last thing she remembered was the mysterious figure standing in the middle of the road.

"Amy," she looked at Kamilah on the driver's seat. There was some blood leaking from small, shallow cuts on her skin that were already healing. "Are you alright? You've received most of the impact."

"I… I…" after a moment, her pain was gone. As well as her dizziness. "I think I am."

"There's a cut on your forehead. Let me heal it."

Kamilah pricked her finger and pressed some blood on her wound.

"Did you hit your head?" She asked.

"Yeah, but it was nothing. I feel fine."

"Anyways, we better ask a CT scan once we arrive at the hospital."

Kamilah dialed a number where she ordered a service to pick them up and later, collect her damaged vehicle from the woods.

"Shouldn't we return to New York?" Amy asked, following her wife back to the road.

"We're half-way to your hometown," Kamilah said. "If you're okay, seeing your father is still our priority. Right?"

Amy nodded, still feeling upset due to her early behavior. Her body was sore from the collision and now the rain was soaking her clothes, she was also shivering in cold. Noticing it, Kamilah took off her own jacket and wore it around her shoulders.

"I'm so sorry," she told, starting to cry again. "What have I done? I must be really going crazy."

Kamilah stopped and involved her in a comforting hug.

"That's okay," she kissed Amy's forehead. "What happened, Amy? Back in the car?"

"I saw a woman standing in the middle of the road."

"A woman?"

"Like one of those freaky horror movies Lily likes. She... she was a vampire. I saw her red eyes. And there was blood over her clothes too."

Amy knew the look on Kamilah's face. She didn't think she was crazy, she was intrigued.

"We'll investigate further when we get home. You're not going crazy, trust me."

She wrapped her arms around Amy's waist and quickly pulled them out of the woods using her advanced speed, what made Amy feel nauseous again. Only a few minutes later, a driver arrived to pick them up. For the rest of the trip, Amy's mind could only try to remember the woman. Her features, her clothes, her hair... she seemed so familiar, but at the same time so strange.

In the hospital, her family was in the waiting room. Her father was submitted to surgical procedure. Her mother came to meet them and quickly panicked, noticing how bad they both looked.

"I told her we should find a doctor and ask for a CT scan," Kamilah said. "She's hit her head."

"Kamilah is right, Amy. Come with me, I'll help you to find someone."

Amy didn't know which of the two women standing in front of her was the most overprotective.

"It was nothing," Amy insisted. "I'm okay. Just a little bit tired. I'm gonna... I'm gonna wash my face."

In truth, she just wanted to be alone for a moment to think about on everything that was happening. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was a complete mess. Her make-up was completely ruined by tears and rain. There was still some dry blood on her face and hair from the injury Kamilah healed.

"Oh my god. Disgusting!"

She applied some cold water on her face, to clean herself and hoping it'd relieve some of the exhaustion she was feeling. She needed to stay up for her dad. She needed to be there when he was out of surgery. She just needed to see him. That was why she desperately wanted to be there, wasn't it?

Turning off the water, Amy looked at the mirror again. There she was, standing right behind her. The same woman from the road. Glowing red eyes, exposed fangs and blood all over her vests. And she was smiling at her.

She tried to scream but no sound would come out. Her legs were becoming too weak, forcing her down on her knees. All the intense pain she felt after the accident had returned. She still tried to reach for the phone in her pocket and text Kamilah, but she had no strength.

Instead, a vision started to form in front of her. She saw that woman and all the pain she experienced from finding out her husband and daughter were dead.

"I-I'm sorry..." she tried to speak. The woman couldn't hear it. It was just a vision, an hallucination. Strangely, she felt deeply connected to it somehow.

Amy closed her eyes, attempting to return to reality. The smell of blood seemed real. It wouldn't go away. Opening her eyes again, she noticed she was in another vision.

The penthouse she lived with Kamilah was completely dark. It looked a little bit different, the furniture, the decoration. She grabbed a framed picture she found at the office. From an important event they were supposed to attend in only a few days.

"W-What... A-Am I seeing the future now?"

She heard a muffled sob coming from the master suite. She ran as fast as she could and opened the door. Kamilah was lying on the floor and she was severely wounded.

"Kamilah!" Amy yelled, taking her in her arms. "What happened? Talk to me."

"Amy, I always knew it..." she struggled to answer. "I always knew you'd be my ruin. I always knew you'd be my death. I fell right into your trap and you know what? I don't regret it. Not even for a second."

A hint of a smile appeared on her lips, before she started coughing blood. Amy began to cry. It had to be a manner to save her.

"N-No. I'd never do anything to hurt you. I love you!"

Before she could do anything, she saw her again. The woman. She streaked forward and in a blink of an eye she extracted Kamilah's heart. Crushing it with her own hand.

Amy felt like her own heart was being crushed too. She couldn't breath. She couldn't stop the pain.

The world spun around again and she was back at the bathroom. But not for too long. Soon, the world around her faded and everything became darkness.

* * *

**Kamilah**

Outside the hospital, Kamilah grabbed her phone to call her brother. Adrian already had a lot of trouble in hands with that Nighthunter breathing on his neck. Venting her problems on him felt too selfish.

She sighed at the picture on her screen. The one from their trip to the ski resort. She and Amy looked perfectly happy, and now, everything seemed to be falling apart again.

She also noticed the date. It was their first wedding anniversary.

" _What a way to celebrate it._ "

At least Lysimachus had found out some good information about Katherine's employee. He authorized her to ask Serafine to erase her mind and then, he'd be attending the meeting in her place.

" _What about you, sister?_ " He asked. " _Your voice seems strange._ "

"It's Amy. I'm worried about her, but..." she sensed Amy's mother coming in her direction. "I'll talk to you in person, when we arrive."

" _Okay._ "

He was ready to hang up, but she stopped him.

"Brother, wait. Do you think it's possible for a deceased person to be linked to a living person's mind, like a parasite? Using them, feeding off from the emotions and creating visions and thoughts?"

" _I... Uhhhh..._ " he thought for a second before answering. " _I haven't seen anything like this before, but I can make a research._ "

She hung up and Amy's mother came to tell her the news. Her husband was completely fine. The surgery was a complete success. Minor than they assumed at first. The doctors could barely believe he had a heart attack so recently.

"They said _'if you told somebody else, they'd say you're inventing things'_ , the exams and symptoms indicated a heart attack, but his heart is so strong and healthy. It almost seems like he played a prank on us."

Inventing things. Playing a prank. Illusions. No. It couldn't be. That entire situation was forced. _She_ played all them like puppets and they fell for it.

"Mrs. Parker," the realization made Kamilah's voice crack. She hadn't seen Amy for almost 20 minutes now. "W-Where is Amy?"

"I thought she was here with you. She wasn't in the waiting room."

She didn't care what mortals would think. Using her supernatural speed, she needed to reach Amy as faster as possible. Kamilah opened the bathroom's door in a slam.

"A-Amy..." she felt her heart tightening inside her chest, like if it was about to explode.

Her wife was lying on the floor unconscious. She kneeled right beside her, to confirm what her hearing was detecting. A weak, almost inexistent pulsation. Having lived for so long and watching so many mortals die, she briefly examined Amy to conclude she had a grave brain injury in the collision. She knew the human body enough to know she'd hardly survive that.

The door opened and she didn't even had to turn around to know it was Amy's mother. She could sense her desperation and hear her muffled crying. Yet, she wasn't able to act. She stood frozen in place, with Amy in her arms, watching as life left her body.

"Do something!" Mrs. Parker grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her hard, making her come back to reality. "Y-You promised it... You said you'd protect her!"

"B-But..." at that stage, only Turning Amy was an option. There was no other manner to save her life.

"Do what you have to do! I know _what_ you are."

Kamilah nodded in agreement as her fangs opened a large gash on her wrist. She placed it inside Amy's mouth, letting the blood flow down her throat.

She could feel it when her heart stopped beating and she exhaled one last breath. It was the worst feeling in the world. Kamilah felt empty and alone. She wanted to cry, to scream, even knowing that soon her wife would slowly come back to life.

That could only be another attempt of the First Vampire to end Amy's life to regain hers back.

But she failed. Kamilah found her in time. Time enough to Turn her. She'd live. At the first signal her body was beginning to react to the transformation, a small smile appeared in the corners of Kamilah's lips. She sighed relieved.

"Is the going to be okay?" Amy's mother asked, still watching everything.

"Most likely, yes," the female vampire answered. "There's still some procedures I must perform, to guarantee a successful Turning. The next six hours are crucial."

The woman tossed Kamilah her car keys.

"Go. I'm only begging you, save my daughter."

Kamilah nodded again. Without being noticed, she rushed outside the hospital carrying Amy in her arms. She placed her inside the trunk, where she'd be confined in a small space and away from any sources of light.

At the same time she started driving, she also dialed Adrian's number.

"Adrian, prepare the basement. I'll be there as soon as possible. We've got a problem."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Sequel to the fics For You, In The Daylight and Without You. You can read all of them here.

**Kamilah**

The road back to New York never seemed so long before. Even at the maximum speed, those miles that separated Amy's hometown from Raines Corporation appeared to be endless.

Kamilah's heart was thundering inside her chest. Only 24 hours earlier she was planning how they'd celebrate their first wedding anniversary and picking the most perfect gift, one to make Amy smile ear to ear. She had just given her what she wanted the most. The one thing she begged for several times before and Kamilah always denied her.

Part of her felt an intense happiness. When Amy woke up as a vampire, they'd have the eternity for themselves. There was no Gaius, no sickness, no death to separate them anymore. They had beaten the _'til death do us part_. Death had brought them even closer. 

The other part of her feared her wife would change. That she'd wake up with the cold, distant and aggressive behavior she exhibited back in their apartment. Or that her pure, cheerful and loving personality would be corrupted. She didn't want Amy to live the same experiences she lived. She didn't want her to carry so much blood in her hands. In the end, Kamilah knew it would destroy her somehow. Either because Amy wouldn't be able to live with that guilt, or because she'd lose her to darkness forever.

"Finally," her heartbeats felt more stable once her eyes spotted the familiar streets of New York. 

Carrying Amy in her arms, she rushed inside Raines Corporation building. Exposure to the sunlight could be lethal at that stage.

"Kamilah," Adrian was waiting for her in the lobby, "what happened?"

"No time for explanations. Is the basement ready?"

Adrian confirmed and she followed her way, placing her wife inside the sarcophagus. Before closing it, she placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Is she..." 

"Yes. We had an accident and I had to Turn her."

At the conference room, Kamilah told her best friend all the details. Adrian could barely believe what he was hearing.

"We need to find her body and destroy it permanently," he suggested. "It's probably what still links her to Amy."

"But... where could it be?" She asked. 

"You said her strange behavior started after Greece, right?"

Kamilah replied with a nod. Her mind was far away, lost in thoughts and concerns. 

"We need further investigation. I'll call the others."

In only a few minutes, Lily and Jax arrived, even if it was morning. Adrian sent a car to pick them up. The three of them gathered in front of a computer and books, trying to obtain any information about The First Vampire's past. Anything that could lead them to her body.

They still had three hours before Amy woke up. So Kamilah went outside, seeking for some relaxation. Then, she walked to Lysimachus apartment. Such an important subject should be discussed in person and privately.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

He only had time for a nap before Katherine actually woke up and started getting dressed to leave. She told him she was going to Adrian's company for further inspection of his research. For some reason, Lysimachus didn't really believe it. As soon as the Nighthunter left, he would monitor her steps through her cell phone's GPS.

How did they become like this? Since his arrival in New Orleans, they became good business partners. After a while, he met Katherine enough to know the pain she carried made her emotionally numb. She was lonely, unable to develop a friendship or romantic feelings for anyone. Yet, between jobs and celebrations they'd often hook up, having some close moments where she'd soften and show a bit of her true self. Lysimachus could never imagine they'd end up in this twisted betrayal game.

The bell ringing interrupted his thoughts. His sister was the last person he expected to see at the moment. She looked extremely tired and worried.

"Kamilah," he said, surprised. "I thought you were at Amy's hometown to see her father."

"Change of plans. Amy died. In my arms and... I had to Turn her."

His sister told him everything, from Amy's strange behavior to her suspicions that the First Vampire could be behind the whole situation, controlling Amy's mind, causing her father's heart attack and creating visions.

"This is intriguing. And scary."

"Adrian thinks it'll only stop if we destroy the First Vampire's body."

Lysimachus had absolutely no idea of where her body could be, or if it even existed after such a long time. If he wasn't in that situation with Katherine, it'd be a good time to pay Ivy a visit. She could certainly help, in trade of some ghosts to eat. 

"Oh great, so we have another vampire in the world?" Katherine appeared in the living room. "Really, your population is getting out of control..."

"Not now, mortal," Kamilah's eyes went red instantly. "What is _she_ doing here?"

" _She_ was about to leave. Wasn't _she_?" 

Lysimachus gave her a look indicating the subject was private between them.

"I stay," Katherine insisted. "Everything about the First Vampire is my concern too."

"Katherine, please."

She rolled her eyes and left. He turned his attention back to Kamilah, who was frowning at him.

"You need to stop bringing women to this place. We're no longer in Egypt, where you used to throw your little feasts."

He felt some embarrassment at that memory of his youth.

"I'm sorry, okay? She's only here because I needed to find out about her employee."

"And?"

"They're coming to New York, I'm waiting for details."

Noticing how disturbed his twin sister seemed, Lysimachus went to the kitchen and prepared them some breakfast. After eating in silence, he followed Kamilah to Raines Corporation, where the entire group was reunited.

Alone, he decided to check if Katherine was really in the laboratory, monitoring the research. She wasn't anywhere to be seen, not even in the safest area, where the samples of the Tree Of Eternal Life's blood were being kept.

" _I knew it,_ " Lysimachus thought. Before he could detect her location on his cell phone, he found himself drawn to the samples.

Everyone who drank from the Tree would obtain the powers of a God. He wondered how that would feel like. Almost hypnotized by the intense red color, he could see a blurred image forming inside it. There was a beautiful black haired woman, Gaius in a soldier armor and...

"Boo."

Scared, Lysimachus turned around to face Priya.

"Priya!" He angered. "What the hell are you doing? You're not supposed to be here!"

"And neither was you, considering you've backstabbed everyone," she said, with her usual annoying grin. "So I followed you, to make sure you won't do anything stupid."

"Right, because you're so full of good intentions. Aren't you?"

"Not at all, babe. But I'm not willing to risk my ass because of two stupid Nighthunters."

He sighed, trying to remain patient. He wouldn't play her game. She wanted to push him until he lost control. For his luck, he was the twin born with about 90% of the patience stock. Kamilah in his place would have stabbed her already.

"I'm sending her away, okay?" Lysimachus assured. "And she'll have her memories erased, is it okay for you?"

"No," Priya answered. "I still don't trust you. I want you out of the Council's business. Completely."

"Why are you working so hard to destroy me? Are you forgetting I saved your life, just one year ago? If it wasn't for my blood, you'd be long dead."

"And then you've proved to be a traitor."

Lysimachus hadn't forgotten that one moment where Priya opened up to him. At some point, he was even convinced she trusted and had feelings for him. If that was the case, in her mind he had violated that trust and he'd never obtain forgiveness coming from her.

She left him alone at the laboratory and he went to meet the others at Adrian's office. Amy should be waking up soon.

* * *

**Amy**

Darkness. Darkness was the only thing Amy was able to see when she opened her eyes. The air around her was heavy, suffocating. She tried to move, only to find out she was trapped.

" _What the hell?_ " She thought. " _Am I... Am I dead?_ "

She tried to remember what happened. The last memory she had was an intense pain in her head inside the hospital's bathroom. 

The simple act of thinking felt different. The colors of every memory were more vivid, more real, as if she was reliving the moment.

" _The accident,_ " she remembered. That thought lead to another. The vampire woman standing in the middle of the road.

Adrenaline started pumping inside her veins and she could feel it. She could hear the blood flowing inside her. She could listen to the quick heartbeats inside her chest.

" _Whoa, what..._ "

A sudden hunger stole all her focus. It was different from everything she ever felt before. She didn't desire food. She desired something else. While she tried to figure out, two sharp, pointy teeth descended from her gums, poking her lower lip.

" _Am I a... vampire???_ "

Before she could voice it aloud, a light appeared above her. Her eyes were so sensible she could barely keep them open. She sat down, inhaling deeply as much air as possible.

"Amy?" She heard a familiar voice. "It's me."

When her vision adjusted to the environment, she could see Kamilah, standing right beside her. She was in the chamber at Raines Corporation. Inside the same sarcophagus Lily was placed when she was Turned.

"Are you okay?" Kamilah asked, her hand softly caressing her cheek.

Amy opened a smile and leaned forward, pressing her forehead on her wife's.

"Yes! I'm more than okay. I feel amazing."

They shared a long and desperate kiss, before Kamilah could help her to stand up.

"God, I was worried about you. That she would take you from me."

"Who, Kamilah?"

"The Fir..." before she could finish, they were interrupted by the rest of the gang arriving to check on Amy. All of them were there. Lily, Adrian, Jax and Lysimachus. Amy couldn't prevent emotional tears from falling.

"Hey, guys," she laughed it off. "It seems like I'm one of you now."

Lily immediately advanced in her direction, pulling her to the tightest of the hugs. 

"Amy, you know what it means right?" She started crying too. "We're going to be best friends forever, since none of us is dying anymore!"

"Yes, Lil. I can't wait for us to race together, jumping through the buildings' rooftops."

"The loser is doing that vlog at Priya's club. On Wednesdays, when they have that... peculiar night."

Kamilah cleared her throat and frowned at Lily.

"I was joking."

The others all approached to greet Amy too. Jax promised to teach her some badass moves using a sword. Adrian assured she'd be accepted in any clan she wanted to be part of. Lysimachus teased her about how she'd have to put up with his sister for eternity. 

After such an emotional moment, her hunger had returned and was stronger than ever. Kamilah conducted her to an empty room, where a female volunteer was already waiting for her.

"Can't I just drink from a blood bag?" Amy asked, noticing how tense the woman looked. "I'm afraid to hurt her."

"Don't worry," Kamilah touched her arm, trying to encourage her, "I'm here to assist you. In case you find difficult to stop."

Amy nodded and approached the young mortal. Kamilah stood right behind her, brushing off the hair from the woman's shoulder and exposing her neck.

"First, you must learn to find her vein. One wrong bite and it may be lethal."

“You’re not helping.”

“I’m sorry but the sooner you learn it, better are the chances it won’t be happening.”

The older vampire guided her hand through the skin of the volunteer's neck, finding the right spot to bite. Nervously, the Amy leaned forward approaching her mouth from her target. That close contact, where she could hear, smell and feel the fresh blood inside the mortal's veins was enough to trigger her instincts. Her eyes instantly turned red and her fangs appeared. She applied a deep and strong bite, making the woman wince in pain.

"This is fine," Kamilah tapped her shoulder. "Remember, it's your first time."

As the blood came in contact with her tongue, Amy could barely listen to her instructions anymore. She wanted to feed. Satiate that infinite hunger inside her. Before, she could never imagine blood could taste so good.

"Amy, stop!"

She ignored Kamilah orders.

"I said stop!"

Amy looked at her wife and hissed. She desired blood more than anything. She was about to attack her prey again, when Kamilah pinned her against the wall.

"Stop!" She ordered, gazing deeply into her eyes.

She finally returned to her senses, noticing the female volunteer looked pale and on the edge of passing out.

"Oh my god," Amy said. "What have I done? Is she..."

Kamilah healed the woman's neck and called Adrian to help to carry her to a safe location. Amy sat down on a chair, feeling a terrible frustration.

"First day as a vampire and I already messed up."

"You didn't," Kamilah assured her. "It happened to all of us. This is why you must learn how to control your hunger and your instincts."

"I feel like a monster. I don't want to hurt innocent people."

"You're not a monster, Amy. I promise you. Let's go, I'm going to Brand you before we go home."

Amy followed her, wondering if she'd be able to adjust to that life.

* * *

**Kamilah**

"Yes," Kamilah spoke on the phone, "she woke up and she's alright. Now, it's important she learns to live accordingly to her new conditions."

She still couldn't understand how on Earth Amy's mother learned she was a vampire. Yet, it was a subject she'd rather to bring up when they met again in person. A conversation she would try to avoid as much as possible.

Amy was still upset about her early incident with the volunteer. After getting Branded, they returned home, where she took a shower and went to bed. Kamilah drummed her fingers on the desk, thinking of a manner to cheer her up. An idea came to her mind.

She quickly called her assistant, ordering something special. Then, she left the package on the bed, close to her sleeping wife.

Kamilah kissed her forehead and returned to her home office. She cancelled and rescheduled some obligations at her company. It'd take a few days until Amy was ready to return to her daily routine and she'd be there for her.

A few hours later, Amy appeared on her office's door wearing a new black dress and some accessories. Kamilah opened up a smile.

"So, did you like it?" She asked. "I thought it'd fit your new self."

"I loved it," Amy finally smiled back. "Thank you so much."

Kamilah wrapped her in an affectionate embrace. The thought that another minute and she could've lost Amy forever wouldn't leave her mind. She couldn't imagine living in a world without her.

"Oh. There's one more thing."

She retrieved something from a secret drawer on her desk. A velvet box containing a beautiful bracelet.

"Our anniversary," Amy tapped her own forehead. "I even forgot about it."

"It's okay," Kamilah wore the bracelet around her wrist, then pulled her for a kiss. "I remembered for both of us."

"Yes, in the end you gave me what I wanted the most."

Amy deepened the kiss, her hands traveling through Kamilah's body, eager to explore her new vampire senses. Suddenly, she stopped.

"What's wrong?" Kamilah asked.

"I feel hungry again," she spoke in a sad tone. 

"I'm going to get you a blood bag. Then, we have a long night ahead of us."

Training Amy for the vampire life was a priority, but first, the girl need to clear her head a little bit. Being married for one year, she was familiar to all the fancy restaurants in New York, so Kamilah decided to be creative.

"Ice cream buffet?!" Amy asked when they arrived. 

"You always say ice cream can heal anything. I thought it could be helpful to the moment."

The happiness had finally returned to her wife's face. Especially when she found out Kamilah had reserved the place exclusively for them for a couple of hours.

"Have I told how much I love you tonight?" 

Kamilah had a hard time to distinguish those words, coming out from a mouth that was devouring an enormous bowl of ice cream and speaking simultaneously.

"No. Actually, I haven't hear those words since I arrived from Paris."

"Sorry! I love you," Amy pressed a sweet and cold kiss on her lips, "very very much."

"I love you too," Kamilah cleared the corners of her wife's mouth. 

After the fun, it was time for the training. Kamilah was known for being a rigid teacher to the newly Turned vampires. With Amy, she couldn't act different. But she needed to be strong enough to resist her charms.

She took Amy to a nearby dark alley, then crossed her arms and looked at her.

"What?" Amy looked around confused on why they stopped.

"You're a vampire now, Amy. You can't move around like a human anymore. Your presence must be silent, undetected."

"Okay. And how do I do that?"

"Here, watch me," Kamilah blend in the shadows, making sure Amy could no longer detect her presence. Then, re-appeared right behind her, making her jump in fear. "Like this."

"R-Right... I'll try," Amy walked to the shadows attempting to copy her moves.

Kamilah patiently waited and watched. Her first few tries were a complete failure, but she wouldn't give up. It was time to offer her some help.

"Amy?" She appeared behind her wife again. 

"Can you not do _this_ , please?"

"Look how I slow down my heartbeats, to the point they almost stop."

She pulled Amy close to her body, wrapping her arms tightly around her.

"Hey, this way I can't focus, you know?" Amy joked.

"I know," Kamilah caressed her hair. "This is why I'm doing it, to improve the efficiency of your training."

Amy slapped her arm playfully and they both laughed, before returning to their goal. With was easier once the girl relaxed a bit. She was slowly mastering how to control her breathing and heartbeats. Kamilah proposed one last challenge.

"I dare you to make it home, completely hidden in the shadows. If I detect you, one single time, you lose."

Amy hesitated for a moment, then she bit her lower lip.

"Okay, but... if I win, I want my prize."

"Impress me," Kamilah smiled, before disappearing in the shadows herself.

She waited a few minutes to start moving and give Amy a headstart. Sometimes, making her happy was better than resisting her charms. She only needed to make sure she'd never discover this weakness.

* * *

**Amy**

After spending most of the night exploring her new powers and senses, Amy felt a lot better. Everything felt different, even the smallest thing, such as taking a breath were different, and great. Adrenaline was pumping high inside her body and she didn't want that night to end.

"And now..." she simulated a clumsy karate move, "combat training?"

"Not yet," Kamilah cocked her head confused by what she was doing. "We have other priorities first."

"Come on, with Lily you skipped straight to the fun part."

"It was different. The situation required she learned how to protect herself. We're not in imminent danger right now, are we?"

If Amy couldn't test her new super strength yet, there was another thing she was very curious to try. She bit her lower lip mischievously and went to the bedroom.

Using the newly acquired techniques, she slowed down her heartbeats and breathing, to make her presence impossible to be noticed. She caught Kamilah by surprise in the living room, handcuffing her hands.

"You are in danger, Kamilah Sayeed," she whispered in her ear.

"You're a fast learner," Kamilah said. "Only because you've made me proud, I'll allow it. This one time."

"Move. To the bed, right now!"

The female vampire raised an eyebrow at her, before following her command. Amy straddled her, placing her hands above her head and removing every layer of clothing that separated her from touching Kamilah's skin.

Everything felt different now, her wife's perfect skin felt soft as silk. She could feel a warmness, an electricity being emanated from her body as she never felt before. Her kisses sent her head spiraling.

Amy took a moment to breath.

"Everything alright?" Kamilah wanted to know.

"I never thought it could become so intense and intimate."

"Your first time as a vampire can be quite overwhelming. Maybe we should take things slowly."

"No... I want this. So badly."

As Amy removed her own clothes, she didn't notice when Kamilah broke free from the cuffs, switching positions with her.

"How about..." her nails dragged on the side of Amy's body, making her shiver, "I show you how it feels first?"

Amy agreed. Being in charge, she was barely able to keep control of herself.

"I'm going to kiss and touch you _everywhere_."

Kamilah started from her mouth, kissing her possessively, while her hand massaged Amy's breasts.

The girl let out a moan.

"Shhhh," Kamilah bit her lower lip as punishment. "Who said you were allowed make a sound, huh?"

Amy grinned at the pleasure that game brought to the moment. She closed her eyes, enjoying as Kamilah's mouth started working on her neck, while her hands traveled to her stomach and hips.

The tips of her fangs tickling on the girl's sensitive skin made her giggle. Kamilah pinched the skin of her hips. 

Before proceeding, she stopped and looked at her.

"Are you okay?" 

Amy nodded in response.

Kamilah's mouth went even lower on her body, stopping at her most sensitive spot, while her hands massaged her tights.

The sensation was like nothing ever felt before. She felt her whole body was on fire. She squirmed and thrashed under Kamilah's body, lost in complete ecstasy. In only a couple of minutes, she was shivering and panting.

"Okay," Kamilah stopped and embraced her, "I think we've had enough for tonight."

Amy wasn't willing to stop yet. Not when she had experienced one of the best sensations the vampire life could provide. 

"Not yet," her eyes went red in desire and she placed herself on top of Kamilah's body. 

As she kissed her lips and their tongues danced together feverishly, something new happened inside her brain. She started seeing flashes of Kamilah's life. In Egypt, in Japan, as a soldier during the war...

"Can I try something?" She asked Kamilah.

"Sure."

Focusing on that new found skill, Amy connected her mind to hers again. Instead of focusing on old memories, she chose to stay in the moment. Seeing it through Kamilah's eyes.

"What is happening?" Kamilah felt confused. "My mind seems strange."

"Shhhh," Amy placed her index fingers on her lips. "Who said you were allowed make a sound, huh?"

With their legs entwined, she started rocking her hips against hers, feeling her own pleasure and her wife's too. She adjusted the pressure and speed, accordingly to the sensations it was giving Kamilah.

When they both reached ecstasy at the same time, the feeling was doubled. And amazing.

"Amy..." Kamilah said, grinning and between pants, "I don't know what you've done but... we should do it more often."

"Only testing my psychic powers," Amy told. "But I agree."

In the next morning, Amy was in a deep sleep. Having a strange dream she couldn't quite remember. She was awaken by Kamilah's shouting.

"Amy," she yelled. "We forgot to close the curtains! Oh my god, are you alright?"

The girl rubbed her eyes, feeling the last rays of sun on her skin, before Kamilah closed the curtains. It didn't hurt. It didn't burn. It felt... surprisingly good.

She got up from the bed and approached the window.

"What are you doing?!" Kamilah asked, when she opened the curtains again. "You can't..."

"Look," Amy showed the sunlight on her skin. "Apparently I can."

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Two days had passed. Luckily, Lysimachus was able to intercept Katherine's cell phone and get the text from her employee with the address and time they'd meet. The Nighthunter didn't even notice. Kamilah's friend, Serafine, would arrive in the following day to debrief her. Everything was going according to the plan.

"Are you going out?" She asked, as he was getting dressed for the meeting.

"Yes, a dinner with one of my sister's clients," he lied. "She asked me to attend it in her place."

Katherine didn't question or got suspicious, she only shrugged and turned her attention back to her cell phone screen. As Lysimachus entered his car, he used an Anonymous number to text her, pretending to be her employee.

> " _An emergency came up. Meeting is cancelled. I'll text you when I reschedule for another date._ "

> " _Okay._ "

He smiled in satisfaction with her answer.

The address took him to a fancy restaurant. Lysimachus looked around, trying to spot any faces that could be the mysterious stranger Katherine was supposed to meet.

"Sir?" Noticing he seemed lost, a hostess came to help him. "Are you waiting for someone?"

"Uh, I have a meeting scheduled to 11 PM in one of your VIP rooms."

"Mr. Balthazar?" 

He confirmed, unsure. She checked the reservation list.

"It's in name of..."

"Katherine," he interrupted, trying to not raise any suspicions. "We work together. She couldn't come and sent me in her place."

The hostess agreed and conducted him to one of the VIP rooms in the back. A man was already sat on the table, accompanied by two bodyguards. Balthazar had a strange appearance, he was old, pale and wore an eyepatch. An sinister energy emanated from him.

"Good night, Mr. Balthazar," Lysimachus greeted.

"Who are you?" The man quickly stood up. The bodyguards took a step forward. "You don't look like _Katherine_ to me."

"We work together. She couldn't make it and ask me to attend the meeting in her place."

The man stared at him in silence for a moment.

"Lysimachus Sayeed," he extended his hand.

Balthazar slapped it away.

"A vampire. Kill him, now."

Lysimachus barely had any time to deflect the bolts the guards shoot at him. Using his advanced speed he moved across the room and attacked both of the human guards, knocking them down.

"What the hell was that? Is it how you treat all your guests?

"Only the ones with fangs," Balthazar snarled.

Lysimachus tried to remember where he had heard that name before. It seemed surprisingly familiar. 

"I remember now," he smirked. "Erik Balthazar, head of the Order Of Dawn. Why am I not surprised?"

"And you... the vampire who used to hunt his own kind. I still remember the day you attempted to join my forces."

"That happened almost a hundred years ago."

Lysimachus was surprised by Balthazar's eye turning red and fangs descending from his mouth. Like him, he was also a vampire.

"It seems like we have more in common then you thought, huh?!" The old vampire asked. "I must confess I even respected you. Traveling the world, developing high-technology weapons, targeting Gaius... but deep down I knew you were like each one of them!"

"Indeed," Lysimachus decided to play his game. "Life as a vampire didn't seem so bad once I was reunited with my sister. I spent my whole life seeking revenge because I believed Gaius had killed her. Now, why don't we talk about your motivations?"

"My motivations? Sit down here, boy. Let me tell you a story."

Balthazar joined him at the table, ordering drinks for them both. Lysimachus refused to drink, unable to tell if it was poisoned or not.

"You've been in the island of Mydea, I saw you among the group on the security footage. What you don't know is what happened right there, before you were even born."

"How can you know?"

"I was there," the man revealed. "You can call me Xenocrates, the First Son."

The name sent shivers through Lysimachus' entire body. So far, all he knew about the First Vampire's descendants were rumors. He had never met any, other than Gaius.

"So you've met her. The First Vampire?"

"This is why I'm here. Stupid Adrian Raines has no idea of what he's in possession! You all have no idea of what is in that tree!"

His phone started beeping in a strange manner. Xenocrates stared at the screen in shock.

"It can't be..." he repeated many times. "It can't be!"

Smashing the phone in his own hands, he advanced in Lysimachus direction. Though he was weakened, he wasn't much less powerful than Gaius. 

"You have no idea of what you've done!" Xenocrates shoved him violently against the wall. "Now you've woken the Beast, you'll deal with the consequences!"

His hand went through Lysimachus chest, he could feel it touching his heart.

"Wait..." he tried to reason with him. "What... are you... talking about?"

He didn't answer. His eyes were a mix of pure anger and also fear. Lysimachus closed his eyes, accepting his fate. 

" _I'm sorry, sister,_ " was his last thought, remembering Kamilah. After his death, she would have no idea who they'd be dealing with. Would they be able to defeat the First Son, like they defeated Gaius?

Xenocrates stopped. Lysimachus opened his eyes in time to see his head falling from his neck, converting into ashes as the rest of his body. Behind him, Priya played with the daggers he gifted her during their training

"Priya..." he fell on his knees, holding his wounded chest, "what... are you..."

"You were acting all mysterious the other day, so I followed you."

This time he was actually glad she did.

"You shouldn't have trained me so well with daggers," she laughed to herself. "Who was this old rag anyways?"

"The First Son."

" _Oh._ "

She kneeled right beside him, offering him a small vial containing human blood. He drank it in one sip, which was enough to heal the wound.

"Thank you," he told.

"Well," Priya stood up, walking headed to the door. "Now we're even."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Sequel to the fics For You, In The Daylight and Without You. You can read all of them here.
> 
> -FINALLY! 😂 My apologies for taking longer than expected to update. I blame my screwed up love life and all the people who contributed for this mess.
> 
> \- NSFW alert!

**Amy**

Life as a vampire was even better than Amy expected. In only three days she was adjusting perfectly. She no longer had problems to feed from volunteers and she was getting really good at controlling her senses.

The best part was that she and Kamilah were closer than ever. Kamilah was planning to introduce her to the other members of Clan Sayeed during a party. She was also a rigid, but patient teacher, who loved to reward Amy greatly for her accomplishments.

The rewards. They made all the effort worthy. Like in that exact moment in the shower, where Amy was being rewarded for controlling her super strength so well.

Kamilah was on her knees, pleasing her with her mouth. Amy opened her eyes, appreciating the view for a moment, before reaching climax.

"Oh my god," she screamed, "Kamilah!"

"Shhhh," Kamilah silenced her with a kiss, her tongue gliding over hers, giving Amy a taste of her own pleasure. "The neighbors must be tired of hearing my name. It's all they have listened coming from this penthouse for the last three days."

Amy laughed, blushing a little bit in embarrassment. 

Kamilah turned around, letting water pour over her smooth brown hair and her perfect skin, which drove Amy wild. She embraced her from behind, letting her hands travel all over her wet body. 

"Amy..." Kamilah moaned.

As her hands reached her she wanted her the most, Amy used her psychic powers to connect her mind to Kamilah's. She absolutely enjoyed doing that trick. It felt like she and her wife were only one. She could feel everything she was feeling, sense all her bliss and hear part of her thoughts.

Right now she desired one particular thing. Amy let her fangs descend, biting Kamilah's neck in a sensual and soft manner. Thought she was the one touching Kamilah and tasting her blood, Amy also reached ecstasy when her wife did, due to the link between their minds.

"Okay," Kamilah placed one last kiss on her lips, "I'll get dressed now. Serafine will be here at any moment."

Amy huffed and rolled her eyes. Bringing that woman from France was completely unnecessary. If only Lysimachus agreed to debrief Katherine himself. Her presence would only ruin the moment they were living.

Deep down, she knew there were second intentions behind her visit. Her friends thought Serafine could assist her with her new powers, but she had everything under control. Sometimes she'd accidentally access random memories, but nothing she couldn't handle. And since her accident, she had never seen that mysterious vampire woman again.

Amy closed her eyes, letting the water fall on her shoulders. There was no reason to worry. _She_ was Kamilah's wife. Serafine was _only_ a past affair. She opened her eyes again, noticing blood was dripping from somewhere, getting mixed with the water pooled on the floor.

"What..."

She searched all over hear body, unable to find where she was bleeding from. Then she looked at her hands, they were completely covered in blood. She rubbed them harder and harder with a sponge, but they wouldn't get cleaned. The blood only intensified.

Amy turned off the shower and went to the sink, while she uselessly tried to wash her hands, the view on the mirror scared her more than anything...

Her eyes were red and her fangs exposed, even thought she couldn't feel them at the moment. Her body was completely covered in blood. And in her hands she had Kamilah's dagger. 

Although she couldn't see it, she knew. She knew she had just killed her. Her own wife.

"No!" She cried. "I didn't do it. I didn't..."

The sound of the bell ringing pulled her back to reality. There wasn't a single trait of blood on the floor or over her body.

"Amy," Kamilah shouted from the bedroom. "Serafine is here."

Amy took one relieved breath, knowing it was only another scary vision.

* * *

**Kamilah**

Even after living for over two millennia, traveling to so many different places and knowing the most diverse cultures, Kamilah couldn't help feeling strange when Serafine greeted her with a kiss on each cheek. Maybe because she knew how Amy was jealous of her past lover, or because she had gotten too used with the American lifestyle.

"So ma chérie, where's Amy?" She asked, while Kamilah served her a glass of wine.

"She's getting dressed," Kamilah started wondering why was it taking so long though. "She will be joining us in a minute."

"What about her visions? Are they under control?"

"Apparently, yes. Now she's a vampire she has more abilities to explore and this is what I want you to help her with."

"It'll be a honor."

Amy arrived in the living room only a couple of minutes later. For some reason, Kamilah noticed a hint of distress in her behavior. 

"Serafine, hi," Amy kissed both of the French vampires cheeks back. "I'm sorry, I was taking a shower and kinda lost track of time."

"No worries, ma chérie," Serafine smiled. "Sit down here, Kamilah told me you're a vampire now. With psychic powers?"

They engaged in a conversation. Amy seemed to be more relaxed and comfortable in her presence. There was no jealousy in the tone of her voice. 

Suddenly, they stopped. Only exchanging looks and giggling. Kamilah furrowed her brows confused.

"What are you two doing?" She asked.

"Having a mind to mind conversation," Amy told, still laughing. "Serafine was telling some stories about your past."

"Great, I'm in trouble. Am I not?"

"Don't worry, Kamilah," Serafine assured. "I'm only telling her about your bravery acts. Like the night you helped a group of newly-Turned vampires to escape from the Order."

Kamilah gave her a small smile. For some particular reasons, she liked to avoid some memories from her past. Not even Amy knew much about her past. Kamilah feared it'd cause her fear or disgust. That was the main motive she brought Serafine from France, she didn't want her wife going in and out of her mind whenever they had an intimate moment.

"Let's see what you can do," Serafine grabbed Amy's hands. "Get in my mind, I'll get in yours."

"Okay."

For a second, Kamilah noticed as Amy's eyes went wide in fear and she showed signs of discomfort.

"I-I can't..." she released Serafine's hands. "I'm not being able to get in your mind right now, I'm sorry."

"Oh, ma chérie. Come here, let's try again. It takes some practice."

"Actually," Amy stood up from the couch, "my cell phone is ringing. It must be Lily, I'll answer in the bedroom."

" _Weird,_ " Kamilah thought. Until before Serafine's arrival, Amy was using her psychic powers to increase pleasure while they were having sex. What she had done multiple times since she discovered what she was capable of.

"Serafine, did you see anything inside Amy's mind? Like you did, the other time?"

"No, but know what is strange? It was all dark, as if she was protecting her thoughts."

She asked Serafine to speak to her brother. She had to check on Amy, they still had some time before the Council meeting Lysimachus requested started.

Amy was lying on their bed, with her phone in hands and an upset look on her face. 

"Hey," Kamilah sat right beside her. "Are you okay? Did you see anything bad in Serafine's mind?"

"No," Amy shook her head. "I... I only noticed how uncomfortable you were to know she was sharing stories about your past. You don't like talking about it."

The girl sat down and wrapped her arms tightly around Kamilah's neck. She could swear she was about to cry.

"I promise I'll never see any parts of your past without your permission. I love you, okay? I'd never do _anything_ to hurt you."

"I know. I love you too."

There was something wrong about her wife again. And the same bad feeling Kamilah had before their accident started to bother her again.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

In front of a mirror, Lysimachus touched the exact place where he had been injured in the previous night. He had never been so close to death before.

Erik Balthazar. Or Xenocrates. That man was not only the head of the Order Of Dawn, but the First Son. He lived with the First Vampire. He was close to her. He knew where her body could be and possibly a way to stop her.

Yet, he had no time to obtain those information. That man was completely blinded with hate. Hate for his own kind. The only moment where the hate disappeared from his eyes was when he was staring at his cell phone screen. In that moment he seemed to be consumed by fear.

" _You've woken the beast. Now you'll deal with the consequences._ "

Those words, full of desperation, wouldn't stop echoing inside his mind. He needed to share it with someone or it'd drive him crazy. 

He was getting dressed for the Council meeting he requested when somebody rang the bell. Opening the door, he was face to face with Serafine Dupont. He told her to wait. Katherine was an issue for another day. She was no longer staying in his apartment. He could barely remember in which hotel she was staying.

At Raines Corporation, Kamilah was the first one to notice he was unwell. 

"What happened?" She asked, in the same motherly manner she always treated him. "You look pale, brother."

"I'll tell when everyone is here," he told.

And there was Amy, who seemed to have strong psychic abilities. Stronger than his, or Serafine's, or Jameson's. He greeted his sister-in-law with a nod. She was still new at this. She could easily end up in his thoughts by accident.

When the rest of the members arrived, Kamilah opened the meeting as usual and passed him the word.

"The reason why I requested this meeting is," he started. "I've discovered who was behind Katherine, interested in the results Adrian obtained about the Tree's blood."

He first told them about Erik Balthazar, the head of the Order Of Dawn.

"I should've imagined," Adrian said. "The Tree was inside one of their buildings."

"It's not only that," Lysimachus told. "We knew nothing about who he truly was. He was Xenocrates, the First Son."

Everybody stared at him in silence, stunned by the revelation.

"Well," Kamilah angered, "you said ' _was_ ', so I assume he won't be causing us any more trouble."

"Yes, he's gone."

"You've killed him?" Jax asked. "Was he so strong as Gaius?"

"Though he was weakened by the lack of blood he consumed, he was almost as strong as Gaius."

He looked at Priya, who was frowning at him, as if she expected recognition for what she did.

"As for killing him," Lysimachus continued. "You should thank Priya. She saved my life. _Our_ lives."

A victorious grin appeared on the fashion designer's face. After the second most shocking revelation of the night, he proceeded:

"Before dying, Xenocrates started acting weirdly. He stared at his cell phone screen and screamed something about how we've woken a beast and the consequences it would bring us. He was very disturbed. In panic, I'd say."

Everyone was so confused as he was. They had no idea what the First Son could be talking about. Kamilah told them to stay alert. Adrian suspected he could have sent his troops to attack them. Amy was the only one who seemed to understand his feelings, for some reason.

"Hey, Amy," he spoke to her outside. "I saw your face inside the room. Kamilah told me about your intense psychic powers, have you had any visions or anything?'

"Uhhh no," she took some time to answer. "It was just the tension of the moment. No big deal."

Lysimachus could swear she was hiding something behind that forced smile. He was about to walk back home when a hand touched his shoulder.

"Not that I care," Priya shrugged, "but are you okay? I mean, you almost kissed the death's ass last night."

"I'll be," he answered.

She was following the opposite direction when a thought occurred him. How much of his conversation with Xenocrates she had listened? Could she have seen anything on the man's cell phone screen?

"Priya, wait. Are you up for a drink?"

* * *

**Amy**

The day Amy had been waiting anxiously had finally arrived. Her first combat training session with Kamilah. She woke up very early in the morning, showered and picked a special gym outfit. Then she went to the kitchen to prepare a special breakfast for them.

All those fears and insecurities about her visions had disappeared. After she refrained herself from using her psychic powers for a few days, no more creepy visions happened. Maybe the overuse, especially for _certain_ purposes, had caused that terrifying episode in the bathroom.

"What is that all about?" Kamilah asked when she appeared in the kitchen and kissed her forehead. "Any special occasion?"

"Come on," Amy smiled. She knew her wife was teasing her. "Don't say you've forgotten! It's my first combat training session with you."

"How could I? It's all you've been talking about since you woke up as a vampire."

"Of course, I can't wait to be so awesome and skilled as you."

"You'll have a long way there, my love."

When they arrived at Ahmanet Financial, Kamilah guided her to her personal elevator and then to the basement. Amy knew she had training gyms in all her offices around the world, but she was never allowed to visit them before. Kamilah always trained all by herself.

"Whoa," Amy observed her surroundings, "this is awesome."

Kamilah had many different weapons and objects used to exercising. 

"I know," a proud smirk appeared on her wife's face. "Before we start, I'd like to give you something."

She handed Amy a small box, containing a pair of daggers very similar to hers. The girl took them in her hands and examined, admired.

"I've been wanting to give you these for a long time, but I decided to wait until you were Turned."

"I loved it, Kamilah. Will we be training with them?"

"Not yet," Kamilah sighed and went back to her teacher attitude. "You've got a lot to learn before that. We'll start with the basics."

They started small, Kamilah corrected her posture and taught her the right manners of successfully landing punches and kicks to the opponent. She also taught her how to deflect blows, disarm the enemy and use her vampire speed in advantage.

"Very well, Amy," she told, noticing how exhausted Amy seemed. "I think we've had a good start."

"No," Amy insisted. "I'm ready for more."

"If you insist, why don't you try to hit me then? One blow and we're done for today."

One blow. Kamilah said that because it was an impossible task to achieve. She'd deflect each one of Amy's attempts, when she didn't disappear around the room, making it impossible to even spot her.

"I can't..." Amy complained between pants. "You're too skilled for me..."

"I can't take easy on you," Kamilah stopped in front of her. Amy was surprised how she didn't look any tired. "Your enemies won't make it easy."

"Maybe I should find someone of my level for a start. Lily or Jax maybe."

"If you want to, but you should look for someone who is committed to your training. Those two could easily turn this into a game or a joke."

Amy let out a laugh.

"What?" Kamilah asked.

"Nothing. It's just you look sexy when you act this serious."

Kamilah rolled her eyes. The moment was interrupted by the elevator doors opening and revealing an unexpected guest.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Kamilah frowned.

"I had nothing to do at Raines' company," Katherine answered, "so I came here to check on baby vamp here."

She walked in Amy's direction, with that challenging look she always carried around. That gave Amy an idea.

"Hi Katherine," she said. "Baby vamp here is okay. I was just wondering, Lysimachus told me you have some mad fighting skills."

"Trust me, you don't wanna see what these sai can do."

"Trust me, _I do_. I'm looking for a training partner, someone of my level."

"Wait," Katherine broke into a laugh. "Do you think I'm your level?"

"Then," Amy's eyes went red and she placed herself in a fight position. "Why don't you show me?"

"Amy, no," Kamilah interrupted. "This is a stupid idea. I don't trust her at all."

Katherine sighed and handed her the pair of sai.

"No more weapons?"

"No, except for myself."

Katherine joined Amy in the fight position, but waited for her to attack first. Though she was a mortal, she was handling the combat very well. Amy was also able to deflect her blows and test her new abilities.

" _I have an idea,_ " she thought.

Using Kamilah's previous lessons, she was able to almost disappear in the room, becoming almost undetectable, especially for a human. Katherine looked around, confused, trying to spot her. Amy landed right on her chest, pinning her to the mat.

"Ha! Gotcha!" 

As the Nighthunter struggled to set herself free, Amy noticed the rune on her ring started to glow. Katherine gazed into her eyes for a moment, before letting a terrified scream.

"Get off me!" She yelled, repeatedly. "Get off me, demon!"

Using a hidden blade she carried on her sleeve, she stabbed Amy right in the stomach. She fell on the floor, squirming in pain.

"Hey!" Kamilah's eyes went red in anger. "What have you done?! I said no weapons!"

Katherine wouldn't listen. Disturbed as she was, she disappeared in the elevator.

The wound on Amy's stomach slowly stared to heal, but it hurt really badly. Now she was a vampire every pain was amplified.

"Amy, are you okay?" Kamilah approached to examine her.

"I'll be," the girl told. 

"What the hell was that?"

"I have no idea."

A strange feeling appeared on Amy's mind. A sensation that, somehow, Katherine was able to dive in her deepest secrets.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

That was the first time they were alone together, since Kamilah's wedding. The first time they could be talking like two civilized people. Lysimachus took Priya to the same club they used to meet when he first arrived in New York, as a vampire hunter. One of her favorite clubs.

"This place is decadent," Priya complained. "Like you."

She grinned. Lysimachus sighed, ignoring the attempt of an insult. He was still disturbed by the latest events. He ordered drinks for them both. Some alcohol could help him to enlighten his thoughts.

"So, how have you been?" He politely asked.

"Drop dead gorgeous, my new lines are always trending and my face has been everywhere."

Same old Priya. He wondered what would be the best manner to bring up the subject.

"Priya, the other night at the restaurant. How much of my conversation with Balthazar did you listen?"

Priya was thoughtful for a moment, trying to remember.

"Like I said, I predicted you'd do something stupid. I followed you to the restaurant, paid for the VIP room next to yours... I saw as you kicked the guards asses and everything. So pretty much the whole thing."

Lysimachus swallowed his whole drink in one sip. It burned down his throat, but he needed that. He needed to be prepared to repeat those words.

" _You've woken the beast. Now you'll deal with the consequences,_ " he said. "What do you think he could be talking about?"

"Oh come on, Hunter," Priya whined. "The old rag was babbling a bunch of non-sense! Don't tell me you're scared?"

"Not scared, concerned about our future. Did you happen to see anything on his cell phone screen before he destroyed it?"

"Not much. I got a glimpse, it looked like... a tree?"

Lysimachus showed her a picture of the Tree Of Eternal Life. Priya confirmed, it was the same one from Balthazar's phone. Yet, it made no sense. He couldn't connect the dots to discover what could be a potential harm.

In the morning, he woke up sweaty and shaking. Nightmares about Gaius, Xenocrates, the Tree and... something else. Something that was foggy on his memories. He checked his phone and Katherine had texted.

> _"I need to talk to you urgently. It's about Amy."_

> _"_ _You're all in danger."_

"What the..." 

Lysimachus quickly showered and left for the address she left written in a piece of paper. As he arrived at her hotel room, somebody else was there. Serafine Dupont.

"Serafine, where's Katherine?" He asked. "I need to speak to her."

"Unfortunately you're late, mon chérie," she told. "Kamilah asked me to follow her. She was too disturbed. I caught her by surprise and debriefed her. She's on her way back to New Orleans."

"Fuck!"

Now he'd no longer know what she had to tell him. He couldn't even say goodbye.

"What happened?"

"She had something important to tell me. About Amy."

"Well," Serafine took a deep breath, "I believe she has seen the same thing I did. The darkness."

Lysimachus looked at her in a mix of confusion and shock.

"What?!"

* * *

**Kamilah**

Kamilah sighed deeply and glanced at her wife, who was now sharing the office with her. Amy was far from happy. Her expression suggested annoyance and boredom at the same time.

"It's so unfair!" She complained, playing with a pen in her hands. "I just want my position back."

"Patience," Kamilah told. "It's temporary."

The incident with Katherine, a few days earlier, let Amy's emotions out of control. Kamilah shouldn't have trusted her word when she guaranteed she was completely fine. It was almost at the end of the shift when Amy and another member of the marketing department were taken to her office.

_"You did what?!" Kamilah asked, raising her voice._

_"I punched him in the face," Amy told, as if her action was absolutely natural. "Come on, he suggested you only gave me my position because I'm your wife!"_

_"They said you also broke the conference table. And threw somebody's phone out of the window."_

_"I did, I'm sorry. Wait, you're not firing me, are you?"_

Kamilah had no other choice but keeping her away from her job for a while. Until she was completely settled with her new life.

"It has been a week and I managed my anger very well," Amy attempted to convince her. As usual she was doing the puppy dog eyes. This time the trick wouldn't work though.

"You broke your video game controller," Kamilah remembered. "And expressed your wishes to stab Serafine."

"Kamilah, I lost that match in the very last second! And Serafine was obviously hitting on you when she sent that text with so many heart emojis. Can't you see that?"

"Honestly? No," Kamilah knew what she had to do. She approached Amy and massaged her shoulders. "In truth, I only have eyes for _one_ woman."

"I know that," Amy relaxed and smiled. "I trust you. I don't trust _her_."

"Silly girl."

Her assistant interrupted their moment to tell the candidates for Amy's position were ready to be interviewed. One by one they entered the office answering questions and showing their resumes and skills. Nobody seemed to be qualified enough.

"It's a sign," Amy said. "You should just return it to me."

Kamilah was ready to throw the towel and admit she was right. The door opened again and her assistant returned.

"Mrs. Sayeed? There's one more candidate. She got a little bit late."

"Let her in. I've wasted a lot of time, a few more minutes won't make any difference."

Only a few seconds later, another woman entered the room. She had dark brown hair, brown eyes and a tanned skin. Looking at her, Kamilah feel a sensation she had never felt before. She was drawn to her. Completely.

She quickly stood up and smiled, offering her hand to be shaken.

"It's a pleasure to have you here, Ms..."

"Rheya," the woman shook her hand and smiled back. "Rheya Apostolous."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Sequel to the fics For You, In The Daylight and Without You. You can read all of them here.  
> \- MxF Smut Alert! Feel free to skip it if you’re not interested 😉

**Kamilah**

The incident during the training session, as well as the poor management of her new emotions, had truly affected Amy's mood. For days, she acted depressed and refusing any romantic interactions with Kamilah. But everything changed from the moment Rheya Apostolous entered her office. 

Not only she had everything Kamilah was looking for in an employee, she was also bonding really well with Amy. The two of them were becoming friends really quickly.

“No, you're doing great,” Amy smiled. “It’s such a honor to have you in my place during these weeks. Maybe… we can even share the position later?”

“I appreciate your company, darling,” Rheya grabbed Amy’s hands in a friendly gesture. “I’m glad to be working with you.”

Something about that mysterious vampire woman intrigued Kamilah. In her presence, she felt compelled to act differently than her usual self. Around Rheya, she felt comfortable and open. As if the two of them had known each other for long years and had a very close relationship. There was something about that woman who drew her completely, even if they rarely talked. Maybe it was her charisma, or her excellent social skills. 

She cleared her throat interrupting their conversation.

"Kamilah, hey," Amy stood up from the desk. "Rheya was telling me she spent years being a prisoner of the Order."

"Did she?" Kamilah raised a curious eyebrow.

"Yes," Rheya's expression changed into sadness and melancholy. "I've spent years in that horrible place, waiting for the day I'd be finally free and meet the world again."

"My apologies. I've had to fight and flee from their troops many times myself."

"Soon they will pay."

Her words had a hint of certainty.

"Kamilah," Amy changed the subject. "There's something else. She doesn't have a Brand."

"To be a part of the New York vampire community you must be Branded and accepted as part of a Clan, Rheya. It's one of The Council policies. To eradicate the risk of Ferals, you know?"

Upon Kamilah's explanation, the female vampire silenced for a moment, as if she was seeking for the right words to say. Kamilah assumed English was being quite a challenge for her, as she lived most of her life in Greece.

"I've learned information about the six Clans of New York," she finally said. "I'd be grateful if I was given the opportunity to be accepted as one of you."

"You should speak to my brother," Kamilah told, "or Adrian. They're the best Clan options at the moment."

"I certainly will."

Later at their penthouse, she found Amy alone in their living room, listening to some music and having a glass of wine. Without being noticed, she wrapped her arms around her waist. As her wife leaned against her, Kamilah inhaled deeply the scent of her hair.

After a few minutes in silence, enjoying each other's presence, she finally spoke:

"I was just thinking, I hired Rheya and I didn't even ask your opinion about it."

"She's great, really," Amy assured. "I think we can learn a lot from each other."

Yet, Kamilah knew how upset she still was from losing temporarily her position at the company.

The girl turned around to face her and wrapped her arms around her neck.

"I was thinking, I could really use a break right now. And I want to enjoy it to spend some time with you," Amy grinned excited. "Why don't we go to our Hamptons house, where nothing or no one will bother us?"

"I'd love to," Kamilah didn't really know how to deliver the news. "But I'll be out of city. I have this business conference to attend in a few days."

Her wife sighed. She could tell how disappointed she was.

"Can't I come with you?"

"I thought you'd rather stay and... plan your debut party. I'm sure Lily would love to help."

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Darkness. Was it possible there was any darkness in the depths of Amy’s soul? Lysimachus remembered when they first met. She was just a girl, lost and insecure for being in contact with the vampire world. With Kamilah, she was slowly growing into a woman, kind and supportive of everyone around her. Not even vampirism seemed to have affected her personality, she was still cheerful and good, as she always had been.

What intrigued him were her psychic abilities. As a human she was already able to access memories and establish some telepathy. No regular human was capable of that.

Yet, he couldn't find any threat, any darkness in his sister in law. She was different from Gaius, Xenocrates and even him or Kamilah. They all had different shades of darkness in their hearts. She didn’t though. Until proven otherwise, Amy’s heart was completely pure.

“This is bullshit,” Lysimachus looked all the books and notes spread on his desk. He hadn’t been sleeping for days now. Most of the time he was doing research to find anything that could connect what Serafine Dupont said to Erik Balthazar’s fear.

Against his better judgment, he went back to New Orleans. It was the only place where he could possibly obtain any clues.

“Hmmm,” Ivy fell pensive for a moment, “maybe she’s a demon.”

“No chance,” Lysimachus shook his head while sipping a drink at The Graveyard Shift.

“Witch?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Goddess Phampira herself?”

“Very unlikely.”

The undead woman sighed in annoyance.

“I don’t know what your friend is. _Bloodkeeper_ , you said… I don’t remember having any records on it. But I’ll take a look.”

With the promise of giving her some ghosts as payment, Lysimachus agreed to go home and wait for an answer. Before returning, he’d check on Katherine. Nobody had heard of her since she returned from New York. He knocked on her penthouse’s door.

As she opened the door and saw him, she immediately closed again.

“Katherine,” he insisted. “We need to talk.”

With some hesitation, she decided to let him in. They sat on a couch, one of the very few furniture she had bought recently.

“I knew one of your friends would attempt to debrief me,” she told, pulling an amulet from her pocket. “So I carried a protection.”

“I need you to tell me. What exactly did you see when you were training with Amy?”

A hint of fear appeared on her face. Lysimachus couldn’t remember any occasions he had seen Katherine frightened before.

“I can’t explain. S-She… she’s extremely powerful. As she’s dangerous.”

“Are there any manners to prevent this dangerous side of her from coming up? I asked Ivy, but she doesn’t remember having any records on Bloodkeepers.”

“I have no idea. I’ve never encountered something so dark before and I’ve seen some _really_ messed up stuff.”

Katherine stood up from the couch and went to the window, where she stared outside with a lost look on her face. Lysimachus followed her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Katherine, I’m sorry,” he lamented.

“Can you please leave me alone?” She asked. “Don’t come back. I don’t wanna see you again, at least for now.”

Lysimachus agreed. As he began to head back to the front door, he heard her voice one last time.

“And take care.”

Back in New York, the first thing he did was to pay a visit to his sister in her office. She was in the middle of a meeting, so he waited.

“Brother?” Kamilah asked in surprise. “What brings you here?”

“Serafine and Katherine told me they've seen a darkness inside Amy,” Lysimachus told. “Did you know about this?”

“Yes, I did."

He silenced. Of course Kamilah would omit something like that from them. They were talking about her wife. The woman she loved the most in the world.

"Wait, you can’t be possibly thinking…”

“I wouldn’t doubt anything at this point.”

“She’s my wife,” his twin sister had gotten visibly angry. “If there was something wrong about her, I’d be the first one to notice.”

“Maybe she hasn’t noticed it herself yet.”

“Leave. Now.”

Lysimachus consented with a nod, knowing he was alone with his worries and fears. Maybe it was time to try to see it for himself.

* * *

**Amy**

Amy's sadness from being away from Kamilah, in the moment she needed her the most, quickly disappeared when she started planning her debut party.

The event would be taking place at the castle that used to belong to Marcel Lafayette. Vampires from every part of the world had been invited. That was how Kamilah wanted her to be introduced to the vampire community, fancy and big.

Being Mrs. Sayeed had its privileges. She and Lily spent the day trying expensive alcohol and shopping for the party. 

After long hours, they were back home, completely exhausted.

“Girl, I still can believe you bought us those dresses,” Lily grinned. 

“A gift for my best friend _forever_ ,” Amy replied with a smile.

Her cell phone buzzed inside her pocket. It was Rheya. They had been talking often and now Amy was teaching her to communicate through her phone. Lily spied over her shoulder.

“Okay, I’m starting to get jealous.”

“Come on, Lil. She spend years as a prisoner of the Order, I’m helping her to adjust.”

“Is she coming to the party?”

“I hope so.”

The bell ringing interrupted their conversation. Lily went open the door.

“Hello, girls,” a male voice approached them. “Mind if I come inside?”

Amy dropped her phone to see Lysimachus standing in front of her.

“Hey,” she hugged him. “How have you been? We haven’t seen you in days!”

“I’ve been in New Orleans. Checking on Katherine.”

“Everything alright?”

Lysimachus told her about his last conversation with the Nighthunter. He seemed a little bit upset.

“Actually, I’d like to speak to you in private,” her brother in law told.

Lily understood the message and focused her attention on some video game, while Amy followed Lysimachus to his place.

“You’re a psychic vampire, like me. We haven’t had a chance to talk about it yet.”

He invited her to seat on the couch. Amy started feeling a little bit uncomfortable at the subject. Everytime it was mentioned, the bathroom vision returned to her mind immediately.

“Someone should offer you some training,” he continued. “You have a great potential, but your abilities need to be properly developed.”

“I….” Amy was unsure of what to say. “Serafine has offered to help me. I haven’t heard from her in days, but…”

“You’d feel better if it came from somebody you trust, right?”

“Exactly.”

“Show me what you’ve learned so far,” Lysimachus asked.

Amy agreed. She trusted her brother in law as much as she trusted Kamilah. He saved her life in London and was the one to study her origins deeply. There was no need to be nervous. It wasn’t because it was inside her head that he’d see it. After all, that vision was false.

First, she accessed his memories. His life as Kamilah’s advisor in Egypt, some events as a vampire hunter and the night where he was reunited with his sister. However, when she tried to access a memory from his years in prison under Gaius control, she couldn’t.

“What?” She asked. “It’s all dark.”

Lysimachus let out a small laugh.

“I blocked it,” he explain. “Some things are better guarded.”

Next, he taught her how to block her own memories too and work on her telepathy. Now Amy felt more secure, they were completely connected and in sync.

“ _Great, Amy,_ ” Lysimachus said through their link. “ _Now show me memories you managed to obtain from other vampires._ ”

Amy showed him funny memories of Kamilah and Adrian, she always had fun seeing them arguing or teasing each other. Then she showed him Lily’s famous Christmas curse and how Jax acquired his precious sword.

“ _Can you show me something from someone you're not so close to? Someone who’s dead maybe?_ ”

“ _In a moment._ ”

Focusing, she showed Lysimachus The Baron’s memories of his family, which was strange to watch, and Gaius being defeated. Seeing this from his point of view was satisfying. He was scared, truly scared when he saw himself trapped in that magical circle. Even more scared when Kamilah staked him and the flames consumed his body.

“ _You guys did it so great,_ ” Amy told Lysimachus. " _Too bad I missed it._ "

“ _I know right?_ ” He laughed. “ _Seeing this son of a bitch, trapped and terrified, makes me so proud of myself!_ ”

Before they could proceed, something else invaded both of their brains. A memory she had no idea where it came from. There was the Tree Of Eternal Life and blood. A lot of blood. All they could hear was a female voice.

“ _When the sap of the tree rests in the blessed chalice, the skies shall turn red, the earth shall be torn asunder, and The First shall walk again._ ”

“ _Amy?_ ” Lysimachus asked. “ _What the hell is that? Where did you get this from?_ ”

“ _I-I don’t know…_ ” she tried to return to reality. “ _Stop! Make it stop…_ ”

When she opened her eyes, Lysimachus was also paralyzed in horror.

Amy couldn’t hold her emotions anymore, she started sobbing intensely.

“Hey,” Lysimachus comforted her, after taking note of every word they heard. “Why are you crying?”

“I… I keep having these horrible visions everytime I use my powers. The other day, I saw Kamilah being killed. By me.”

It was time to finally tell someone before it consumed her. Before it drove her insane.

* * *

**Kamilah**

Kamilah had been extremely busy for the last few days, not letting her spend so much time with her wife as she wanted to. But being supportive and patient as Amy was, she'd understand. She always knew how Ahmanet Financial took most of her time. Besides, that conference wasn't something she could skip. Her presence was very important to represent her company. 

She arrived just in time for the debut party. Amy wasn't home, she was spending the day getting nails and hair done. With Rheya, not Lily. A small smile appeared on Kamilah's face. It was good Amy had a mature and more experienced vampire friend in that moment. Rheya could give her some advice and guidance.

Checking her watch, she realized she needed to rush, buy a new dress and start to prepare for the party herself. 

By the time Kamilah made to the party, she was a little bit late. Most of the guests had already arrived. For her surprise, Amy was handling it very well, welcoming them and introducing herself.

"Amy," she approached, pressing a quick kiss on her wife's lips. "I'm sorry. I had to stay longer and discuss some stuff with the other members of the conference."

"It's okay, Kamilah," Amy said. "But most of these people are _your_ guests and _your_ Clan members, they pass by me and have no idea who I am."

"I'll fix that."

Kamilah grabbed a microphone and ask for silence.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we're here tonight for a special occasion. Not only to introduce Mrs. Amy Sayeed as my wife, but as the newest member of Clan Sayeed."

Vampires from all over the world, as well as some mortal guests, were paying attention to her words. There was a lot more Kamilah could say about the young woman by her side, but it wasn't that crowd's concern. If anyone had to know about her deepest feelings, it was Amy. In private. When they were alone in that small world they shared. After a few brief words of affection, she proposed a toast and finished her speech with a kiss.

"I love you," she whispered in Amy's ear. "Am I forgiven?"

"Of course," the girl smiled back at her.

"You look gorgeous. I had no time to say it before."

"And so are you."

Even though many people wanted to speak to her, Kamilah decided to dedicate the night exclusively to her wife. She agreed to follow her to the dancefloor for a few dances, after one year of marriage she was finally mastering the modern moves Amy introduced her to.

Then, they went to the bedroom to talk in private about the days they spent apart.

"Enough of me. How are you handling your new abilities?" Kamilah wanted to know.

"Absolutely fine," Amy told, proud of herself. "Lysimachus has been training with me."

"Oh."

"What's with this face?"

She wasn't on good terms with her brother and Amy had no idea why. She couldn't even think of a manner of telling her that.

"We had a disagreement," Kamilah said. "Just before I left."

"He told me."

Amy's expression changed, the smile disappeared from her face.

"What exactly did he tell you?"

"Everything. Kamilah, why did you hide it from me? About Serafine and Katherine?"

Kamilah silenced. She didn't have a good explanation. Except that she couldn't believe a single word of that. There was no darkness inside Amy.

"It isn't true, Amy." she started. "Whatever they've seen, it doesn't exist."

"Do you think so?" Amy asked.

"I'm sure of it."

Kamilah leaned forward, pulling her wife for a deep and long kiss. She had truly missed those lips, that skin, that warmness. 

"Why?" Amy asked.

"Because..." Kamilah's mouth descended to her jawline and neck, before stopping on her chest. "Your heart is unlike any other I've met before. There's no darkness in here. All I can hear is peace."

Although she could feel Amy's fingers on her hair, her touch was still weak and distant.

"Kamilah, I thought we had an agreement of not keeping secrets. Everytime it's happened it got dangerous for us both."

"Amy... I didn't want to overload you with unnecessary things. Especially in this moment."

"What moment?!" Amy raised her voice. "I'm a vampire, so what? I've lost control once or twice! Why do you need to treat me as if I was about to break?"

"My apologies," Kamilah sighed. "I thought I was helping."

"Helping?! By suspending my training sessions, taking me from my job and not being around most of the time? Yeah, you're _really_ helping."

"I think you need some space. I'm going to leave you alone."

"It's not like I've been alone for days, right?" Amy shouted before she left. "It seems like you're running away from me."

Kamilah shook her head, unable to believe what she was hearing. She wasn't in the mood for a fight. The night was going completely different from what she planned. Instead of a celebration of Amy's life, where they'd spend some quality time together, it was becoming a nightmare. 

Spotting Adrian at the bar, she went in his direction.

" _I really need a drink._ "

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Everything was starting to make sense now. Xenocrates words, Amy’s visions and the darkness both Katherine and Serafine saw within her. Lysimachus suspected the darkness could be her strong connection with the First Vampire and how she could have returned to life, when Amy died and was Turned.

“I’m probably going crazy,” he closed the notebook where he was writing down all his thoughts and theories. 

It was time to get ready for Amy's party. After confessing about her visions, they had been talking daily. Lysimachus helped her with more training, of her psychic skills and combat training too. That should be his role when his sister wasn't around. He swore to protect that girl with his life and he wouldn't allow anything bad to happen to her.

At the castle, he spotted some familiar faces. People he probably tried to kill in the past and were looking at him with a scowl on their faces. Kamilah was still angry at him, but once he had a final conclusion on his theory, she’d be able to understand. She was in company of Adrian, chatting with old friends, while Amy and Lily had fun in the dancefloor. Lysimachus decided to walk to the bar and drink all by himself for the night.

“Man,” Jax joined him, "it's the first time I actually feel safe in a party."

"It may be the last too," he muttered. If his conclusions were right, they were in grave danger.

"What's bothering you so badly?"

“Everything,” Lysimachus answered, swallowing another dose of whiskey. “Xenocrates, The First Vampire, Amy’s Turning… _Life_.”

“Women too?”

“Yeah, probably.”

It was the first time he actually thought about his situation with Katherine. He probably added one more trauma to her life. He’d miss her dry humor and strong personality.

“Come on,” Jax placed a hand on his shoulder. “Relax a little, let’s toast to Amy.”

“To Amy,” they clicked their glasses.

It could be only paranoia, but Lysimachus sensed a dark presence somewhere. And it wasn’t Amy’s. Speaking of her, his sister in law was coming in his direction, with a big smile on her face.

“I want you to meet someone,” Amy dragged him by the hand. “It's my new friend. She needs a Clan and I’m sure you can help her.”

“Of course,” he followed Amy. “About what you told me the other day, did it happen again?”

“No, everything is just fine.”

“I think I have a theory. Can you and Kamilah drop by tomorrow?”

“Of course!”

In a corner, a tall, brown haired woman waited for them. She seemed to be insecure to mix with the crowd, but her eyes wouldn’t miss a single detail.

“Lysimachus, this is Rheya,” Amy introduced them. “Rheya, this is Kamilah’s brother, Lysimachus.”

He extended his hand for her to shake. When she took it, an strange sensation ran all through his body. Something powerful, electric irradiated from her skin.

“She was a prisoner of the Order and now she needs a Brand. Can you provide her?”

“I-I… yes, but we must ask the Council first.”

“True,” Amy rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Rheya. “The Council can be a pain in the ass sometimes. Anyways, I’ll leave you two alone so you can talk.”

She walked away, leaving Lysimachus with the mysterious woman. She wouldn’t stop staring into his eyes, as if she was reading deeply into his soul.

“So Rheya…” he cleared his throat. “What you expect to find in a Clan?”

His mind went foggy for a second, as if someone forcefully invaded his deepest thoughts and broke all his defenses.

“I expect to find safety, strength, comfort…” she replied. “A new beginning. A rebirth.”

That was exactly how Lysimachus would describe his Clan. Gathering vampires in risky situations from all over the world, that was what he offered them. Rebirth and a new beginning was the meaning of the scarab Brand he marked them.

“Well,” he tried to remain confident and firm, “then you’ll fit well in our Clan, but as I said, I must ask the Council’s permission.”

“Why? Don’t they trust your decisions?”

Rheya said that with a knowing look. She wasn’t really asking. She seemed to know he often had trouble with The Council.

“It’s their policy. Anyways, I have to go now. I’ll contact you once I have an answer.”

Even when Lysimachus was back at the bar, it seemed like her gaze was following him. He ordered more and more alcohol. He needed to wash his mind from all that paranoid thoughts. Rheya was just another lost vampire, like many he rescued before. She was no threat. She felt dislocated in the middle of all those people. She looked innocent, chatting and learning dance moves from Amy.

**\----- MxF Smut Scene -----**

He was very drunk when he went to the balcony to some fresh air. 

"What are you up to now?" A voice behind him made him freeze in place. But it was only Priya.

"Priya, hi."

"You're acting strange! You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm way too drunk and overthinking things."

A mischievous grin appeared on her face.

"Can I ask what you're overthinking about?" She whispered seductively in his ear.

"Danger," he answered.

"So why _think_ , when you can actually _get_ in danger?"

Her face was very close to his, while her hand traveled through his chest. Lysimachus didn't want it. Being with her was the trouble he didn't need for that night. But he wasn't acting like himself, either because of alcohol or because of his disturbed mind. When he noticed his mouth was already on Priya's, deep and feverish.

"It's the last time, okay?"

"Hell yeah, it's is."

While kissing her neck, Lysimachus hands found their way under her dress only to discover she was wearing no underwear.

"Oh!" He exclaimed in surprise.

"I may have lost it," Priya told. "I was having fun with a newly-Turned in your bedroom."

"In _my_ bedroom?!"

"She's still there, in case you want to continue this later."

"I'll keep that in mind," Lysimachus said, his hands still under her dress, touching her slowly and teasingly.

"Two can play this game, Hunter," Priya said between moans, as she unzipped his pants and went under his underwear. "Let's see who can resist longer."

"If I win?"

"You can have me in any ways you want. But if you lose... I'll punish you."

The game lasted minutes until Lysimachus felt Priya was very close to her limit, so he stopped his movements completely.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Making the game a little more interesting," he grabbed both of her wrists, forcing her to stop too.

Lysimachus lifted her up, perching her on the balcony. As he started moving inside her, Priya wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him even closer. It didn't take long before she reached climax.

"I won," Lysimachus teased.

"You cheated," Priya complained. "But I'm going to allow it this one time. After all, I'm looking forward being rewarded for saving your ass that night."

* * *

**Amy**

Fighting with Kamilah was the last thing Amy wanted to do now she was back home. They rarely fought, what made her feel even more upset and frustrated. But she didn't want secrets. She didn't want to be protected from reality. Whatever was happening, she wanted to be prepared to face it.

The next few hours of the night were tense and awkward. They were sitting on table with Adrian, Serafine and Lily, but neither of them would open the mouth to speak. Kamilah was quiet, having a drink after another.

"And I pointed out and said," Lily was telling one of her stories in a overexcited manner, " _the cake is a lie_! Because... there was _no cake_ left?"

Adrian furrowed his brows confused and Serafine forced a laugh. Amy was probably the only one able to understand that joke, but she didn't feel like laughing.

"Come on, guys," Lily insisted. "Why is everyone so _dead_?!"

"Because we're vampires," Kamilah answered bold and serious, what made her laugh even more.

"We're vampires in a party! We should be having fun. Serafine, why don't you tell us one of your stories too?"

"Okay, let's see..." Serafine was pensive for a moment, attempting to retrieve any stories from her past that would cheer up the mood of that table. "Kamilah, do you remember that night in New Orleans when we scared a group of male tourists who were harassing women?"

"I do. We attracted them to the cemetery and we revealed our fangs."

Serafine told a detailed version of the story. Amy sighed and looked away, trying to remain patient. The French vampire always had to tell stories involving her wife. She could swear it seemed to be on purpose.

"Wow, this was badass!" Lily grinned when she finished. "You guys have a lot of chemistry."

In another night, Amy would've ignored her best friend's comment. After all, she had a lot of alcohol. But not in that occasion, where she and Kamilah were in such a delicate moment. That was too much for her ears. Almost by impulse, she let out a loud:

"Lily, excuse me?!"

" _Had_... I mean _had_."

" _Had_ , because Kamilah married me right? Because she had to abandon all her past flings to marry a stupid mortal girl."

"Amy..." Kamilah tried to calm her down. "You're overreacting. There's no need for this."

"Of course, as always," at this point, tears started forming in the corner of her eyes. "I'm always overreacting, when I'm forced to hear and have visions of your sexual adventures with all your exes. As if I could become one of them at any moment."

"Amy..."

"No, Kamilah! I need to be alone for a while."

She escaped to the exterior of the castle, to the garden where she had one of the first conversations with Kamilah. She sat on a bench, reflecting on what she said that night. She had experienced all things about love and relationships, just like she knew well all kinds of flowers. How could she be something new in Kamilah's life? Would she ever get bored of their marriage, just like she did with botany?

As Amy heard someone approaching, she wiped a few tears from her face.

"Amy, darling..." Rheya sat down by her side, "what happened?"

Her voice was smooth and calming like a lullaby.

"It's nothing important," Amy lied.

"Nothing important? If it's hurting you and causing you pain, it certainly is important."

Her new friend embraced her supportively and caressed her hair. 

"You know you can tell me everything," she insisted. "We're friends remember?"

Amy inhaled deeply. She didn't know Rheya until a few days earlier, but she already trusted her. She made her feel safe. She always had the right word to say.

"It's Kamilah," she finally told. "We had a fight and... god, I'm going to sound so stupid. I feel insecure, you know? Like... are we going to last? Or is she getting bored of me after a few decades?"

"Oh dear, if your love is true it will last. Otherwise..."

"I know."

Rheya hugged her again, before they walked back to the castle. Kamilah was still on the table with Adrian and Serafine. They were chatting and laughing. Unlike before she left, there was no tension. They seemed to be having a good time.

"Who's that lady with Adrian and Kamilah?" 

"It's Serafine Dupont. An old..." Amy sighed, " _friend_ of them."

"Serafine..."

Amy yawned as a sign she should probably go to bed after such an exhaustive day. 

"I'm going to bed," she announced. "Good night, Rheya."

"Good night, Amy. I'm going to stay around a little longer."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Sequel to the fics For You, In The Daylight and Without You. You can read all of them here.  
> \- Sorry, I couldn't resist using the garden plot 😍  
> \- In case anyone is wondering the song I picked for their wedding dance is More Than Anyone by Gavin DeGraw. I just thought it fits them really well.

**Kamilah**

A couple of days had passed since the failure of the debut party. Amy couldn't be more distant and hurt, even if all the misfortunes of that night weren't Kamilah's fault directly.

When she arrived home from work that night, the girl was still on the couch wearing an oversized t-shirt and watching a TV show. Empty ice cream containers and Cheetos packages were lying on the coffee table. An antique and rare coffee table Kamilah bought decades ago in an auction. That was a major red flag that she needed to do something urgently to fix the situation her wife.

After a quick shower, Kamilah went to the kitchen and prepared dinner. _Mac n' Cheese_. With all the food in the world, Amy seemed to enjoy _that_ above anything. Not even the fanciest restaurants she visited could change her mind. Respecting that, Kamilah prepared a more refined version of that dish.

Amy was quite surprised to see her in the kitchen.

"You're cooking," she pointed. "Aren't we ordering?"

"Not tonight," Kamilah told.

The girl sat at one of the counters to watch her add the final touches to the dish.

" _Mac n' Cheese_?! You find it distasteful."

"But you love it, don't you? I'm learning from your tastes I guess."

Amy silenced and look at her in disbelief.

"Wow, we have been ordering for weeks. We never have time to cook something nice. Are you sure you're alright?"

"Absolutely, Amy. I was just thinking, we have all the time in the world. We should make the best of it. That's why we need to start changing some habits."

"Like what?" Amy asked.

"Let me see," Kamilah took her cell phone from her pocket and handed to her wife. "This is my schedule from now. I'm not working over 8 hours a day or traveling so often. I need to spend more time with you."

A smile finally lighted up Amy's pretty face. Her green eyes sparkled with joy.

"I... I'd like that."

"And so do I," Kamilah placed a kiss on her lips. "There's something else."

"What is it?"

"I'll show you tomorrow."

As she predicted, Amy was curious for the rest of the night, trying to guess what other change Kamilah could be planning for their lives. 

"Are we... buying a boat?" She attempted a guess.

"No," Kamilah furrowed her brows confused. "Why? Would you like that?"

"I don't know, I'm just guessing."

She turned off the lamps, but she still could sense her wife awake and intrigued, even in the dark.

"Are you finally letting me adopt a cat?" Amy grinned. She had been begging for that in months. Kamilah always postponed with the excuse they spent too much time away from home.

"Uh... no," Kamilah sighed. "But I'll think about that too. I promise."

She kept it a surprise until lunch time, when she texted Amy requesting her presence at their house in Hamptons.

" _Meet you there,_ " she added.

* * *

**Amy**

Everything about Amy's debut party had gone terribly wrong. Especially the hangover, that felt way worse now she was a vampire, when she woke up in the morning. And also the flashbacks of her arguments with Kamilah.

" _God, I should've waited until the Awakening Ball just like everyone else._ "

She still couldn't sit down and talk things out with her wife for the following couple days. Not until she was able to fully calm down and process her feelings. Maybe she acted too harsh. Kamilah always hated being away from home for too long. She made sure of calling all the time to check how she was doing. She'd also surprise her with gifts from all her trips. That realization made Amy suddenly feel extremely guilty.

"I'm a horrible wife," Amy lamented drowning herself in ice cream.

Kamilah was the one to raise the peace flag. She cooked them dinner. Her favorite meal. Her own version of it, at least. She always wondered how Mac n' Cheese could be Amy's all-time favorite dish. In the end, she apologized and promised she'd be spend less time working and traveling, dedicating herself more to their marriage. That was enough to soften Amy's heart, but Kamilah still had another surprise.

It was about lunch time when she texted her asking her to go to their Hamptons' house. Amy quickly grabbed her car and started driving, wondering what she could be planning.

"Okay," Amy said when she arrived, "I'm here but... what's the matter?"

"Follow me," Kamilah ordered. She walked to a green area they had outside the house, surrounded by trees but rather empty. "Isn't it a perfect place for a garden?"

Amy opened a huge grin. Kamilah always dreamed of having a garden on her own and now she was able to walk in the sun, she finally could.

"That's right! It has always been your dream."

"I was thinking we should dedicate more time doing things we love."

For a few minutes, she heard as her wife gladly explained her plans for the space. Then, she had something else to show her inside the house.

"Kamilah," Amy's eyes went wide in surprise. "You really bought... a piano?!"

"You said you've always wanted to learn," Kamilah sat down at the piano by her side. "I'd be more than glad to teach you."

"You never told me you could play!"

"Well, it has been a few centuries."

She started playing the first notes of the song they picked for the first dance as a married couple. The way her fingers moved graciously, hitting every note with perfection and her sweet low voice, singing along with the melody, made Amy's eyes fill with tears.

"That was not supposed to make you cry," Kamilah stopped.

"I know," Amy smiled and wiped off the tears from her face. "But it was just... wonderful."

"Enough for you to forgive me for the last few days?"

"Kamilah, I... I should be the one to apologize for the way I acted. It wasn't your fault."

“Amy, I’m truly sorry,” Kamilah sighed. “You died in my arms, I can't bear the thought of losing you again. This is why I want to protect you and make sure you’re safe all the time.”

“I understand,” Amy spoke. “But I’m no longer frail and vulnerable as before, you know. I need to learn from my new powers and instincts.”

“I won’t lie to you, Amy. Being a vampire can be amazing, but it also can be a disgrace. It can change and destroy you. It can turn you into your worst self. I don’t want you to go through the same experiences I did.”

“I won’t, trust me. Now regarding the darkness…”

Amy finally revealed the two occasions where she saw a dark version of herself, capable of killing her own wife.

“I told Lysimachus and we both believe they’re unreal and could be produced by…”

“The First Vampire,” Kamilah completed.

Amy had tears in her eyes again when she finished her story.

“I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that, right?”

"Of course," Kamilah pulled her closer to her body, embracing her tightly. "Whatever that bitch is up to, we'll fight together."

With her face buried on Kamilah's shoulder, Amy let out a muffled laugh.

"What?"

"You said ' _bitch_ '."

"Yes," Kamilah laughed too, caressing her hair, "I did."

* * *

**Lysimachus**

After waking up in the morning after the party, Lysimachus locked himself alone inside his apartment, ashamed of his own actions. Not only he got very drunk, but he ended up in bed with two women, one of them being Priya.

He'd check his answering machine and his messages at every thirty minutes, waiting for an answer from Ivy. Or a text from Katherine. But there was nothing. 

Loneliness had never been a problem for him, but he truly desired to have someone who he could share his theories and suspicions.

"Hey," Adrian said as he entered the office. "I was starting to wonder what the hell you were. I barely saw you at the party."

"Oh well," Lysimachus sighed, "let's not talk about the party."

"So why are you here for?"

"I've been training with Amy and she has shared some of her latest visions with me. Together with the stuff I heard from Balthazar... I think the First may be back."

"What?" Adrian sat in front of him, reading carefully all his notes. " _When the sap of the tree rests in the blessed chalice... the First shall walk again..._ Oh my god."

"I tried to make sense of these words but..." Lysimachus told, "nothing comes to my mind."

"What if the ' _blessed chalice_ ' is actually Amy, this generation's Bloodkeeper, and the ' _sap of the tree_ ' is any vampire's blood? Kamilah's blood when she Turned her?"

"Makes sense. But did we ever find her tomb?"

"I had some clues," Adrian told. "With the help of Serafine, I came to the conclusion she was there all along, inside the tree."

"And assuming she's free, where she could be right now?" Lysimachus wondered. "I mean, she spent over two millennia inside that damn tree. It's not like she'd know how to catch a plane or even speak our language!"

"We need to pay attention to all vampires, all over the world."

"How do we do that?"

They called the most appropriate person who could help them with that task, Lily Spencer. Most of the vampires from all over the world were part of the Fangbook, her social network. Including from Europe and the Five from Japan.

"Lily, send them a warning," Adrian ordered. "Any unknown vampires sightings must be reported to us. We need to be aware."

Then, he went to his desk to make a call.

"According to my friend Elias, no one has been seen around Mydea since we destroyed the Order's compound. Only my researchers when they extracted those samples."

"Guys..." Lily was pensive for a second. "If she has this connection with Amy, her first impulse would be to come to find her, right? What if she's already headed here somehow?"

"We have to pay attention. Any new vampires in New York must be carefully studied by The Council."

Lysimachus quickly had two people in mind. Rheya, Kamilah's new employee, and Nadine, the female vampire he slept with. He'd be investigating them by himself before taking extreme measures.

He set a dinner with Rheya first, with the excuse he'd like to interview her before the voting process with The Council. She showed up just in time, wearing a business suit. That woman was extremely gorgeous. She radiated confidence and kindness. He wasn't able to notice that so well at the party.

"How were you Turned?" Was his first question.

"I lived with my husband and daughter at a small village in Greece," she told. "A king was willing to take possession of our lands. Most of our people got slaughtered, including my family. Gaius Augustine found me and Turned me."

Rheya wouldn't break eye contact for a single moment, or exhibit any signs that suggested she could be lying.

"Gaius... what did you think of him?"

"A real maniac. I deeply despise that man for not letting me join my family in death. Only to use my pain to turn me into my worst self, but... when I noticed what I was getting into, I resisted. I escaped."

She couldn't help letting her emotions show telling this last part of her story.

"And then you spent centuries in Europe, until the Order caught you?"

"Exactly. I was tortured, humiliated and..." she broke down in tears. Lysimachus sighed, feeling bad for submitting that poor woman to those questions. 

He apologized and offered her a tour around New York. She was mesmerized by the buildings and attractions the city had to offer. 

"The Phantom Of The Opera," Rheya said, reading a flyer about the current attractions playing at Broadway. 

"Are you a fan?" Lysimachus asked.

"I find it amusing and strangely familiar. A mysterious creature, living in the shadows, who mentors a young artist he becomes fascinated with."

" _Fascinated_? The man develops an obsession."

"That's a way to see it. Maybe he believed they could've accomplish something greater together. A real masterpiece."

"A real tragedy, you mean."

Rheya stared at him serious for a second. That very same look that brought him chills at the party. Then, she grinned playfully.

"Hey," she patted him on the shoulder. "I was just toying with you, you're always so tense. He sorta reminds me of Gaius himself, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Lysimachus relaxed and smiled too, "the obsession he had with my sister. It was very similar."

They spent the next hour joking and chatting about their favorite books and movies. Nothing about Rheya indicated danger.

There was only one option. Priya's friend.

* * *

**Kamilah**

They had barely started to enjoy their timing together when Kamilah had to stop and answer her cell phone that was ringing insistently, even thought she told at the company she didn't want to be contacted. For her surprise, it was Amy's mother. She was headed to New York to meet them.

With everything that was happening recently, Kamilah had forgotten about that one detail. The detail Mrs. Parker was familiar with her nature.

"What?!" Amy asked when she told. "How does she know?! I mean, I never told her anything!"

"I don't know," Kamilah was focused on the road back home. "Didn't you let any details slip?"

"No, I'm pretty sure. She'd be deadly worried if I told. You know how paranoid and overprotective my parents can be."

Kamilah was pensive for a moment. She remembered the papers Serafine gave her. The Bloodkeeper abilities could be passed from mothers to their daughters. Now it all started to make sense. Now she knew why Mrs. Parker hated her from the beginning.

"It explains a lot of things," Amy said. "When I was a child she had those moments were she'd become distant. Sometimes she'd spend hours locked in the bedroom."

"I'm surprised how she allowed this marriage to happen. I mean, she probably saw... _things_ about me. _Things_ I've done in the past."

Amy cracked into laughs.

"Hey, this isn't funny!" Kamilah frowned, quickly blushing and trying to hide an embarrassed smile. "Okay, maybe it is. But not in a good way."

They arrived shortly after Mrs. Parker. Kamilah invited her to the penthouse and prepared some tea. That conversation promised to be intense. In the living room, Amy was sitting on the couch in front of her mother, showing some discomfort.

"So Mrs. Parker," Kamilah decided to break the tension, "what brings you here?"

"Amy hasn't been really answering my calls or properly replying my texts," the woman accepted the cup of tea Kamilah offered. "I came here to check how she's doing."

"I'm sorry," Amy said. "I just have a lot going on right now. There's my job at the company and I've been focused on... my training."

"You're a vampire now."

"Y-Yes. How do you feel about it?"

Kamilah decided to leave mother and daughter alone. That conversation should be private between them. She locked herself in her home office, remembering her own mother. She wondered how she'd feel about the path both of her children followed in life. Would she ever forgive them for everything they had done? For what they had became?

One thing she was sure, her mother would have loved Amy. No one could dislike that girl. She had something magical in her personality and in that bright smile. She was able to gain the affection of everyone she met.

"Kamilah?" Mrs. Parker knocked at her door some time later. Her eyes suggested the conversation with Amy was full of emotions. "Can we talk for a moment?"

"Sure," Kamilah pointed at the chair in front of her desk. The woman sat down and sighed, thinking of her words.

"First of all, I'd like to thank you for saving my daughter's life. Even though you had to Turn her."

"I... I would give my life to protect her. I apologize for not noticing earlier she was in trouble. Trust me, Turning her was the last of my options."

"I know."

There was an awkward moment of silence. Looking into Amy's mother eyes, Kamilah wasn't sure of her perceptions about her anymore. The fact she had access to her entire past made her feel very vulnerable.

"So, you're a Bloodkeeper," she spoke. "Like Amy."

"I wasn't familiar with the term until now," Mrs. Parker told. "But yes, I've had these visions since early and so did my daughter. This is why I was concerned for her safety."

"Especially when she got involved with me."

"Exactly."

Kamilah closed her eyes, remembering Amy's mother reaction since the very first moment they met. She had all the reasons in the world to fear her, to feel disgusted and wish for a different future for her daughter.

"I'm not proud of who I used to be, or the things I've done in the past. However, I can't change it. Everyday I have to face the guilt. I hope you know, Mrs. Parker, I'm an entirely different person now. And Amy did help me. She makes me want to be better everyday."

The corners of the woman's mouth curled up in a small smile. She placed her hand on Kamilah's in reassurance.

"I can't say I accept it, but I'm not judging you. Not anymore. I can see that. I can see how Amy has grown with you, Kamilah. I can see how happy you make her. This is why I'm willing to give you a chance."

"I appreciate that."

* * *

**Amy**

"How do you feel about it?" 

That was probably the hardest question Amy had to ask her mom. She never had a good relationship with her. Since she was little, Mrs. Parker was a distant and closed parent. Sometimes she felt unloved, rejected by the woman who brought her to life.

The conflicts between them intensified when Amy became a teenager. Her mother was excessively protective and mistrusted her actions. One of the reasons why she wanted to leave their small town and explore the world. She wanted to escape the suffocating environment of her home. And she wanted to prove her wrong. She wanted Mrs. Parker to know she was capable of living on her own, doing what she loved.

"I can't say I'm happy," her mother said. "But otherwise, you'd be dead. I couldn't lose you, Amy. You're the most important thing in my life."

A small spark of anger appeared in Amy's heart. Somehow she felt betrayed. If she had been told about the visions, about what they were since early, she'd be prepared. She'd be stronger.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, grinding her teeth. "Y-You always knew it! You had visions and you hid it from me. Instead, you... you pushed me away. You made me feel unloved. How could you???"

At this point, she was already standing up with tears in her eyes and clenched fists.

"Amy..." her mother grabbed her shoulders, looking deeply into her eyes. "I wanted to protect you. When I noticed you were faded to experience those visions too, I... I was scared for you."

"What about dad? Does he know?"

"Yes, he does. For years he supported me, helping me to find all kinds of treatments, medication, therapy... Needless to say it was useless."

Amy stopped for a moment, trying to process what she was hearing. Most of her life, her father was all she had. During her mother's crisis moments he'd do his best to comfort her and keep her distracted. He'd assure her that her mom was experiencing a strong headache or stress due to work. He was also a liar.

She let out a small ironic laugh.

"Great," Amy shook her head in denial. "My whole life is a lie."

"It doesn't have to be," Mrs. Parker grabbed both of her hands, "not anymore."

In silence, she heard her mother's stories about her dreams and visions. It all started with a cave and a tree, the mysterious woman and her two soldiers. Long before Amy moved to New York, Mrs. Parker already knew Adrian Raines and Kamilah Sayeed, without even knowing her daughter would accidentally become so close to them.

"Sometimes I wonder if it's fate," she finished. "If all of this has a bigger purpose. For me and especially for you."

"I wonder about that too," Amy agreed. "Especially now my abilities have... _expanded_."

After telling her about The First Vampire, she closed her eyes and she could hear her mother's thoughts. She was hurt, traumatized by those visions. She carried an immense guilty and regret for keeping them a secret, wondering how different Amy's life could have been. There was only one thing she desired in that moment... forgiveness.

"I'm sorry, Amy. For all I've done. I love you more than anything in this world and I only intended to keep you safe. And I'm sorry for being so intolerant about your relationship with Kamilah in the beginning. Once I got to know her, I figured out she's not the monster from my visions."

"That's okay, mom. I'd have probably done the same in your place. Most of the time I kept my visions a secret too. I understand why you did it."

Amy embraced her mother tightly, catching a glimpse of a memory from when she was pregnant with her. How she chose her name, meaning ' _beloved_ ' and how she'd sing for her. A tear ran down across her cheek. For the first time, she felt so connected to her mom as most of the daughters were.

"Is it..." her mother started sobbing too, "is too late to make it up for our lost time?"

"Not at all, mom," Amy smiled.

"Good, I'm going home and I'll be sending you some journals and drawings I kept from my visions."

"Thank you so much, it'll be a great help."

After Mrs. Parker left, all Amy wished for was to cuddle with her wife in bed. Kamilah patiently listened while she told her everything about her conversation with her mom.

"I feel better know, you know?" She said. "All my life I felt so unloved and rejected, but now I know I was wrong. She loves me, Kamilah. And I guess she's starting to like you too."

"Really?" Kamilah sighed. "Yet, I don't feel any less embarrassed to know your mother can look at me and access my memories. It's still intimidating."

She couldn't help but laughing again. Her wife eventually stop fighting against her own smile too.

"I feel like a weight has been removed from my chest now I've forgiven her and I was thinking..." she paused, raising her head and facing Kamilah. "I'd like to start a family on my own _someday_."

"Oh. Someday?"

" _Soon?_ "

"Soon as...?"

"As in the next couple years? Like when we solve things regarding the First Vampire or when I'm completely adjusted to my powers?"

Kamilah took a moment to respond. Then, she kissed her forehead and pulled her closer to her chest again.

"It think I'd love that," she finally said.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

After solving things with her wife, Kamilah had finally decided to make it up to her brother too. Amy had told her about the visions and hearing his version of the facts, she agreed with his suspicions.

"How do we find her?" She asked. "She could be anywhere."

"This is what I'm trying to figure out," he answered.

The meeting with Nadine was nothing but a disaster. She was just a young foreign vampire, lost and confused, who was being quite mentored by Priya, what wouldn't probably go well. There wasn't a single part of her that indicated she could be a vampire goddess. Lysimachus took her to the Shadow Den, Jax would probably provide her the guidance she needed.

Kamilah followed him to the warehouse he turned into a personal training center. It was time for another combat lesson with Amy.

"Kamilah," the girl smiled in excitement to see her, "you decided to join us?"

"Yes," she cracked her knuckles, "my twin brother's technique has some weak spots. You don't want to get them for yourself."

"Teach me your ways," Lysimachus mocked her, master."

They had just started training with daggers. He taught Amy some basic moves, but she would easily become bored and beg for more complex stunts.

"Okay then, Kamilah and I will be doing a little demonstration for you. Then, we can discuss together the moves you should learn."

"Hell yeah, that will be awesome!"

Amy pulled a chair and sat down to watch as Lysimachus and Kamilah positioned themselves for a small, harmless combat. 

Lysimachus waited. He wouldn't strike first. He knew how Kamilah would easily deflect that blow and counter-attack. 

"Well, brother," she teased, "afraid much?"

"No, just being honorable. Ladies first."

They continued to move in circle, facing each other. His sister's gaze was deep and intimidating. Though he was a psychic and a skilled fighter, he could never predict what she was up to.

Lysimachus made the mention of a move, what triggered a reaction from Kamilah. As she placed herself in a defense position, he drew his daggers and attempted to strike.

"Too close," she smirked, ducking and sweeping his legs out from under him.

As he fell on his back, Kamilah's daggers were already pointed to his neck.

"Witchcraft," Lysimachus complained. "It's the only explanation for this abnormal speed of yours."

"Don't be a cry baby," Kamilah continued to brag. "It's called practice and discipline."

None of them saw Amy coming from behind, locking her arm around Kamilah's neck. Though she was caught by surprise, she had no difficult to free herself.

"Nice one, Amy," she complimented. "You must analyze and take advantage of the situation. I'm proud, but now... disarm me."

Amy tried all the techniques she learned from both Kamilah and Lysimachus, but her wife wasn't make it easy for her. 

"Get creative," Kamilah suggested. "Just like you've done. Sometimes technique isn't enough."

The girl was focused on Kamilah's hands. On her daggers. Dodging her attacks but with no clue how to disarm her. 

Kamilah moved forward to strike one more time, but this time her daggers flew away from her hands, hitting the nearest wall.

"W-What... How did you..."

"I didn't do _anything_ ," Amy said. 

"Of course you..."

Lysimachus entered the fight, lunging forward for a surprise attack at his sister in law and test her reflexes. He couldn't get any close. Intense balls of energy that came out from her hands, sent him and Kamilah flying across the warehouse.

"Oh my god," Amy covered her mouth in shock. "Are you guys okay? What have I done?!'

Stunned, Lysimachus and his sister exchanged a concerned look. Never in his 2065 years of life he had seen a vampire with those powers. Especially a newly-Turned.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Sequel to the fics For You, In The Daylight and Without You. You can read all of them here.  
> \- Please don't hate me! 😜

**Kamilah**

It was 5 AM. A rainy dawn in New York City. It could be the weather or even the agitated night of sleep Kamilah had, but while she watched the world outside the window, she could sense a storm coming.

She placed her cup of coffee on the table as she read the newsletter. Several mortals had gone missing under mysterious circumstances in the last few days. That sounded strangely familiar, like when Gaius broke free from the sarcophagus and was trying to regain his forces.

" _It must be a coincidence,_ " she thought. They had been completely free from those occurrences for over a year now. 

Unless her brother was right and something far worse was coming for them.

A loud crash, followed by the hot coffee spilling on her skin pulled her back to reality.

"Ops!" Amy grinned, like a child caught misbehaving.

"Were you using your powers to steal my coffee?" Kamilah rolled her eyes. " _Again?!_ "

Psychic blasts weren't the only thing Amy was capable of. After founding out she also possessed telekinesis abilities, Kamilah's life had became a living hell. Especially when Lily dropped by and they tested her skills together, levitating all sorts of things, including her prized rare artifacts.

At first, both she and Lysimachus were concerned about those unusual powers, but with some study from Jameson's old books and entries, they discovered a small group of vampires around the world also had special kinds of abilities. Like a man named Akeyo Kwangi, one of The Five from Japan, who could become invisible. Or Reinhardt III of Bavaria, who could conjure fire. Like Amy, only another vampire was known. His name was Kano Yoshimasa and he also lived in Japan. Not much was reported about him.

"So what will you be doing today?" Kamilah asked. "Lily recording you move stuff around with your mind to post on Fangbook isn't what I'd call _training_."

"I was considering trying..." Amy was pensive for a moment, " _new things_."

With a small twitch from her fingers, Kamilah's silk night robe unwrapped itself and fell on the floor.

"Very funny."

"It can get even better if you allow me."

"Well," Kamilah smirked, intrigued by how interesting that could get, "test me."

Amy focused on her for a few seconds and nothing would really happen. Until a psychic blast threw Kamilah on the couch.

"Now tell me, Kamilah," she straddled her. "What do you desire?"

Kamilah was about to answer when Amy silenced her with her index finger. Gazing deeply into her eyes, she could sense when they minds merged and the girl could read any of her thoughts.

" _I want you to show me what that pretty mouth of yours can do._ "

She knew her wife had captured her thought when they mouths met in a hot and hungry kiss. Amy nibbled on her lower lip before trailing Kamilah's neck with her tongue. 

A sharp bite on her collarbone made her squirm in both pain and pleasure. She let out a moan as Amy started drinking some of her blood.

Her wife's hands traveled down her body, sensually scratching her side and getting rid her lingerie. When her fingers reached Kamilah's center, she instintively moved forward, wishing for dominance.

"No," Amy pushed her back on the couch using only her psychic strength. "Stay put."

Teasingly, she slowly stripped out her own underwear and went down on her knees, where she started kissing, sucking and biting Kamilah's tights, until she reached where the female vampire wanted her the most.

The psychic strength Amy possessed was able to hold her steady in place as she collapsed in ecstasy, trembling and panting.

"Have a good day at work," Amy placed a kiss on her cheek before going to the shower.

" _I certainly will,_ " Kamilah thought.

As she entered her office a couple of hours later, Rheya arrived soon after. Once again, she felt completely comfortable and good in that woman's radiant presence.

"Good morning, Mrs. Sayeed," she greeted.

"Oh," Kamilah told. "Only Kamilah."

"I came to congratulate you for your award as the most successful CEO in Finances from New York."

"Thank you. To be honest, I had completely forgotten."

She and Amy were supposed to attend an event to claim the award, but considering the latest events, she decided to cancel her presence.

"I..." Rheya seemed to be a little bit shy, "I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty of throwing you a small cocktail tonight. Only for us, employees."

"There was no need," Kamilah was caught by surprise. "It's not really a big deal."

"Please," Rheya placed her hand on top of hers and gazed deeply into her eyes. "Let me do it as a form of thanking you for all you've done for me."

"Okay."

"And... to get you know you better."

Upon her charismatic smile, Kamilah just couldn't refuse. She grabbed her phone to invite Amy to join them later, but it went straight to her voicemail.

* * *

**Amy**

On her training session with Lysimachus, Amy was having a great time. She was truly mastering her psychic skills. She could easily disarm him with her telekinesis and hit him with psychic blasts, combined to the physical combat moves she had previously learned.

"I'm getting my ass kicked by a newly-Turned," Lysimachus complained. "It's getting embarrassing."

He broke free from her and pinned her to the wall. His strength was still too much for Amy to escape from. Yet, she didn't want to admit defeat. Not when she was so close from beating her brother in law for the very first time. Beating such an ancient vampire would be her biggest achievement so far.

While Amy thought of a manner of escaping from him, she suddenly lost herself into his brown eyes, diving deeply into his soul. 

She could sense his desires. Lysimachus wanted answers. He wanted to discover the truth about the First Vampire. He wanted to defeat her and live in peace.

She could also detect his deepest fears. He feared losing Kamilah again. He feared Katherine to die, being human and fragile. His memories slowly revealed the darkest parts of his past, how abused and humiliated he was in prison, being tortured by Gaius and his companions. Being led to believe his sister was dead.

And she was able to pull it all back to surface, as if he was experiencing all that pain in that exact moment.

"Amy..." she heard his voice distantly. She didn't stop. "AMY! STOP IT!"

Lysimachus yelled loud and strong. His eyes were wide in pure fear and sadness. She could feel he was completely broken.

"What the fuck?!"

He walked away from her and she couldn't help feeling guilty. She had put him in a vulnerable position, exposing him again to all his trauma.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I don't know how I've done this... I didn't mean to hurt you."

"That's okay," he told. "We're done for today."

Lysimachus went to the shower, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She needed to learn how to control those powers before they turned her into her worst self. Causing so much pain to one of the people she cared the most was the last thing she would have done consciously.

"Amy, darling!" She heard a female voice coming in her direction. "I was just looking for you."

"Hi, Priya," she told, not very excited by her presence. "What's up?"

"I have this magazine's event to attend tonight and I was supposed to show some of my new clothes but... something terrible happened. My model went missing."

"Oh, it's _surprising_ how often it happens. I'm sorry."

"I was thinking you could help me?" Priya looked at her with puppy dog eyes. "You have just the same body measures she does."

"Thanks," Amy stood up, grabbing her backpack and ready to leave. "I'll pass."

"Come on. You're a vampire now and married to Kamilah. It kinda broke _the magic_."

"Priya, I know your reputation."

"I promise you," Priya placed a hand on her shoulder. "All you have to do is to wear my clothes, take some pictures and... I'll pay you. You'll be home before midnight."

"Okay," Amy sighed. "Just let me speak to Kamilah first."

* * *

**Lysimachus**

"I'm so sorry," Amy apologized in the car, as they headed back home. "In a moment I was staring at you, in the other I was already inside your mind. Finding your weaknesses, trying to explore them in my favor."

"Don't worry about that, Amy," Lysimachus guaranteed. "I know you didn't do it on purpose."

"I'd never enter your mind without permission."

Lysimachus sighed, remembering himself. Right after he escaped from prison, he desired nothing but vengeance. He desired to destroy Gaius and everything he had created. He also helped the humankind to win multiple wars. It was an easy thing to do when he had so much power in hands. 

"But I'll tell you something, I know power feels great. It gives you the sensation you're invincible, that you've got control of everything. I've been there and I know how easy it's for you to let it consume you."

"Sometimes it scares me. When I get under pressure or under strong emotions I feel it flowing inside me. I do things by impulse, unintended."

"I know," Lysimachus smiled, noticing she was upset. "This is why we're training. Soon your powers will be fully controlled."

"I'll need it," she rolled her eyes. "I kinda have something with Priya tonight. A modeling event. Are you coming?"

"Uhhh, she invited me. But I can't, something came up."

When they went separate ways on the elevator, he gave her one last advice.

"Have fun, and be careful."

Deep down, Lysimachus was concerned about Amy's powers. She was abnormally powerful for a newly-Turned vampire. Adrian thought it had to do with her being a Bloodkeeper, but he wasn't fully convinced.

That night a shipment with rare artifacts, rumored to be cursed, was landing in the airport and that was where he went.

"So, I heard about a cursed mask," Lysimachus said. "What exactly does it cause?"

"It makes handsome vampires to turn into goblins," Katherine answered, barely looking at him while she secured the box that was being removed from the airplane.

"Then you've shipped it to the wrong place. A friend in Prague requested it, Vlad Tepes. Do you happen to know him?"

Katherine huffed.

"Unfortunately."

After she made sure the box was safely stored, she met him at the airport's parking lot. Katherine stared at him with arms crossed and a frown.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. "I told you I didn't want to see you again."

"Need someone to talk," Lysimachus confessed. "Outside from my circle of people."

He drove her to a cafe near his home, where he told her about the latest discoveries he made about Amy.

"I see why this is a problem," Katherine sarcastically smirked. "How do you tell your own sister her wife's a bloodsucking demon?"

"She's not," he protested. "She's only... too powerful and skilled?"

"Relax, I'm joking. The vampire Kano, from Japan, has the very same powers, he's 500 years old though."

Lysimachus was relieved to know. He started pondering if it could be a good time to propose his sister a trip to Japan, where Kano could offer Amy some guidance. 

"Where are you going now?" He asked Katherine as they left the cafe.

"Home," she answered bold and dry. "I don't want to stay in New York for more than a few hours."

"Then stay _only_ for a few hours."

* * *

**Amy**

Kamilah was quite hesitant at first, but upon the small celebration she'd have at Ahmanet Financial, she decided to let Amy join Priya at the event.

For her surprise the night started very well, the fashion designer sent a luxury car to pick her up and take her straight to the fancy party's backstage. There, she had hair and make-up done while Priya assistant helped her with the outfits and guided her about the photoshoots.

By the time she was announced as Priya's model, she felt like a real celebrity, walking the catwalk, being photographed and watched by a large crowd.

Priya was busy giving interviews and interacting with other guests. She barely had any time for her until the event was close to its end.

"To a successful night," she handed her a glass of expensive champagne.

"No, thanks," Amy refused, unable to tell if that champagne was actually safe to drink.

Priya shrugged and swallowed it in only one sip. Amy changed her mind and eventually accepted it. That was one of the sweetest and best champagnes she ever tasted.

"So, there will be an after-party in my house, are you coming?"

The after-parties Priya usually held were mostly orgies, where mortals went missing or became severely traumatized. Vampires were also reported to have disappeared after attending.

"I won't bite you, girl," she insisted, grinning. "No one will be forcing you to do anything you don't want to."

Amy bit her lip, considering her options. She and Lily always had been curious to see what those parties were about and now she had a chance. Checking it wouldn't cause any harm. She could leave anytime she wanted and, she had her powers now. If anything happened, she was able to protect herself.

"I knew you were tempted," Priya teased her as they made to her mansion.

“Not tempted,” Amy told, “only curious.”

“Feel free to join, if you want to. I’ll be in my room.”

As Priya left, she examined her surroundings. Coming across faces she recognized from the event and some new others. They were busy with normal things, such as chatting, drinking or feeding, to stripping off their clothes and engaging in sexual activities. 

While the sexual part sparkled some desire inside her from her instincts, she had no interest in joining. Not with somebody else other than her wife. Or in public. She went outside and attempted to call Kamilah, to ask how her own little party was going, but her phone had no signal. Priya certainly blocked it on purpose so nothing from her party would be accidentally shared on the internet.

“ _Damn it,_ ” she thought. “ _Why did I even agree to come?_ ”

Watching those people, she started thinking how many times Kamilah had been in parties like that in the past. Once again, she couldn’t help feeling insecure and inexperienced compared to her wife’s long list of lovers.

As her stomach growled in hunger, for food and also for blood, she decided to go after Priya. She knocked her bedroom’s door, after a undressed houseboy pointed her the directions.

“Come in, darling,” she heard the fashion designer’s voice from inside.

“ _Please, have your clothes on..._ ” Amy closed her eyes and entered. For her surprise, Priya was fully dressed, sitting on her computer with a bottle of wine and reading the reviews about the event.

“What’s the matter? Do you want to go home already?”

“No, I’m just... hungry.”

Priya whistled and another houseboy came to offer his services. Amy ordered only a small glass of blood, that should be enough until she got home. She didn’t feel comfortable feeding from someone who was so... _exposed_. Then, she ordered some regular mortal food and few more drinks.

“Why aren’t you enjoying your own party?” She asked Priya while eating.

“I will,” she also grabbed some food from the tray, “in a while. It gets boring when you participate so often. When you’re a vampire, you tend to lose interest in some stuff after a few decades. How is it going for you, by the way? Being a vampire?”

“It feels great. All my new powers and skills, the way I get to experience the world in a brand new form... It’s better than I expected.”

“Oh, the excitement of the first few years. I miss it.”

Amy started laughing.

“What?” Priya asked, frowning.

“You sound bitter tonight,” Amy told. 

“Maybe I’m getting old, like Kamilah. I don’t know if I'm too drunk, or maybe tired, but my brain feel very strange right now. I may take a nap before... having some fun downstairs.”

“Do you mind if I stay around a little longer? Your bedroom looks so great, I’m interested to see your closet and your sketches.”

“Whatevs, just don't touch any of my toys."

Amy muffled a laugh as she began to explore Priya's room. She avoided some parts of it, knowing it could get _very_ weird. But her desk, where she kept her sketches, and a small attached studio where some clothes in progress were displayed, left her amazed. She was a big fan of Priya's work, but she had to keep it a secret. For several reasons.

She snapped some pictures to send Lily. Inside Priya's bedroom, she was finally able to get some signal. 

" _Oh crap_ ," her mind started to feel a little bit foggy too. " _I shouldn't have drank so much._ "

She approached the bed, ready to tell Priya goodbye and ask her driver to take her home, but suddenly everything went dark.

* * *

**Kamilah**

A small celebration around mortals, how boring could that be? Kamilah had gained so many awards during her life, she even lost track. Yet, she felt bad telling Rheya she couldn't stay. The Greek vampire would do everything to please her and to help Amy too.

When she was finally able to speak to her wife, she received some disturbing news. Priya invited her to come to some event and work as her model. Knowing Lacroix, that could go bad in so many different ways.

" _I'll be back home before midnight,_ " she told. " _Nothing is happening, Kamilah. I promise._ "

"Fine."

She agreed. After all, they had just made up from an argument motivated by her overprotection. She had to give Amy some freedom to live and to solve problems on her own. She was strong and fierce, especially with those new powers she discovered.

It was about 7 PM when the cocktail started at her private rooftop. Besides all her social skills, Rheya also knew how to organize a party. But Kamilah couldn't help thinking she asked for Adrian's help. The food, the drinks, the music and even the decoration all played accordingly to her tastes. She wouldn't be capable to know her that well in only a few weeks.

"Kamilah," the woman approached her with a drink in hands, "Are enjoying it? I'm so glad we’re getting to spend some time together."

"Yes, Rheya. You've done a great job here. Thank you."

They sat together at a lounge where Kamilah learned more from her new employee. She had a very tragic life, losing her family and being forcefully turned by Gaius, who tried to use her own pain for his sick purposes. That was something they shared in common. 

It didn't take long for Kamilah to open up and share some information about her own past too. She told Rheya about her times at Egypt, when she believed her brother was killed by the Romans and her long years serving Gaius.

"Oh dear," Rheya lamented. "He seems to have broken you so badly. Have you never tried to escape?"

"A few times," Kamilah sighed and took a sip of her drink. "But it wouldn't take long for him to find me and..."

She couldn't say it. Even if that monster was long gone, the memories still haunted her every day of her life.

"I know," Rheya squeezed her hand. "I went through it too."

Kamilah gave her a supportive nod. Rheya decided to change the subject.

"And then you met Amy."

"Yes, she... she has brought a new meaning to my life."

"How long have you been married for?"

"A little over a year."

"Marriage," Rheya sighed. "It's so rare for vampires."

"If you find the right person," Kamilah replied. "I used to think romance, in my age, after everything I went through, after everything I've done, was impossible to be found but... I really love her."

"I'm glad you've found each other. I hope I can find this love someday in my life again."

Not long after, Rheya yawned and announced she was ready to go home. She was exhausted after a long day at work. Adrian joined Kamilah at the lounge, they discussed about the mortal disappearances.

"Do you think..." he asked. "Do you think _she_ is here?"

"I don't know," Kamilah said. "It could be a coincidence. Or somebody else."

"I was doing a map, two of the cases happened near the Crimson Veil."

"See? It's the usual. Until when Priya will get away with her violations, Adrian? When are we going to punish her?

Kamilah checked her watch and it was almost midnight. She attempted to call Amy. She didn't answer. It started to cause her some concern. After one hour, her wife still hadn't returned her calls. That was definitely a bad sign.

" _She's fine,_ " Lily told when Kamilah called her, searching for information. " _She sent me some pics from Priya's after-party._ "

"What?!" 

Kamilah grabbed her car keys and, along with Adrian, she drove to the fashion designer's mansion.

"I swear, if she's done anything to Amy..." she angered. "I'm killing her."

"Kamilah," Adrian tried to calm her down. "Maybe she's already back to the penthouse."

"She'd have returned my calls."

They broke into the house, where an orgy was happening. No one had seen Priya or Amy since they arrived. Kamilah went upstairs and rushed to the main bedroom. The door was locked.

"Kamilah, Amy would never..."

As she kicked the door open, the vision ahead of her caused a mix of horror and shock. Amy was naked with Priya in bed, their bodies entwined and covered in blood.

There was blood everywhere. On the sheets, walls and the floor. As well as the bodies of a few mortals.

"Kamilah," Amy woke up confused. "W-What... What happened here? I-I..."

"People, don't scream..." Priya mumbled from the pillow, before sitting down and raising her voice too. "Holy shit! What the crap..."

Kamilah silenced her with a punch in the jaw.

"You're dead, Lacroix," she promised with eyes burning in anger. Then, she looked at Amy. "As for _you_ , we speak when we get home."

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Lysimachus embraced Katherine tightly. She was stiff and not willing to retribute.

"I was worried about you, Kathy," he confessed. "And I miss you."

"We don't do this, remember?" She argued. "But I'm glad you're fine too."

She eventually relaxed and hugged him back. When they parted, she agreed to follow Lysimachus to his apartment. He put on some music while they rested in bed, sharing news about their lives.

"Can you believe it?" Katherine laughed and shook her head. "A fucking museum of monsters and supernatural creatures in Las Vegas? Ryder and I were more than glad to take that guy down."

"I lament I wasn't there to help," Lysimachus told. "I miss the action, it's more fun than being a... Council member."

That was never the lifestyle he desired for himself. In New Orleans, he felt he had found a real purpose. In New York, he felt trapped and suffocated. Not by his family and friends, but by the obligations as a Clan leader.

"When Cal told us there was a vampire in there, I... nevermind."

"Say it."

"Forget it."

Lysimachus rolled his body on top of hers, and started tickling her sides. Katherine began to writhe under him, while fighting off a laugh.

"Stop!" She begged. "Fine, you win. I'll tell you."

"I'm listening."

"For a second," she admitted, "only for a second, I was afraid it was you."

Katherine gaze met his and Lysimachus realize how close they were. Her lips only one breath away from his. He closed the distance, kissing her softly and tenderly.

"What are you doing? Please, don't act foolish or I..."

"Why is it so hard to admit we care about each other, huh?"

"Because in the end we always get hurt."

"Well, this is far from ending..." he brushed his lips on hers again, teasingly. "So we're not getting hurt."

"Only for tonight," Katherine stared at him with hungry eyes and a mischievous smile. Then she involved him a passionate and feverish kiss, nipping on his lower lip and digging her nails into his dark smooth hair. "And you'll have to work hard for it."

"Not a problem."

**\----- MxF Smut Alert -----**

Lysimachus carefully removed her shirt and while his mouth devoured hers, his hands moved down to her chest, massaging her breasts.

"Is it enough?" He asked, pressing his lips softly on her neck.

"Not even close."

Lysimachus kept lowering his mouth, trailing the way down to Katherine's belly, until the waistband of her jeans, where he stopped to unbutton it. His hands went below the fabric of her underwear, touching and caressing. She arched her hips in pleasure.

"What about now?" He smirked, holding back as he sensed she was close to climax.

"You've got yourself a deal," she told, panting and dragging her nails over his toned chest. "I can stand acting foolish with you for a few hours."

**\----- MxF Smut Ending -----**

It was already morning when Lysimachus woke up. The fact Katherine was still asleep peacefully by his side brought a smile to his face. With her, sex was completely different than with Priya. There was a connection. A feeling between them. Even if both of them were to stubborn to admit it.

He finally turned on his cell phone. No messages. No missed calls. One night away from his world and chaos hadn't erupted. He was about to go to the kitchen and prepare them some breakfast, when the bell started ringing. Repeatedly.

"Okay... this is far worse than phone calls."

He opened and a desperate Priya stormed inside. She looked like a mess. Her make-up was completely ruined, and so was her hair.

"Hunter, I really need your help," she spoke so fast he could barely understand. "It's gotten _really really_ bad this time..."

"Okay, slow down," he sighed. "What have you done?"

"It involves an orgy, cheating, murder and a possible revenge."

"Details, Priya."

She looked deeply into his eyes. He could sense some fear and desperation. Unlike the other times, she showed signs of guilt and insecurity.

"Apparently I slept with someone, after we slaughtered a few mortals together. This someone we’re talking about happens to be Amy."

"For god's sake, Priya..." Lysimachus started wondering how on earth that could have happened. "How could you?"

"That's the problem! I don't remember actually doing any of it! Neither does Amy."

"Were you both drunk?"

"Not _this_ much," she told. "Kamilah caught us. She requested a tribunal and now I'll be punished with death."

"It's not like you won't deserve it," he told, his voice full of anger. "I won't side with you in this one. I'm sorry."

"Please," she grabbed his arm. "I-I... I saved you twice, remember? The magical seal? You still owe me a favor."

"What do you want?"

"Enter my mind, find those memories. I need to prove my innocence. Besides, knowing Kamilah, this will be the only thing that will save her marriage now."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Sequel to the fics For You, In The Daylight and Without You. You can read all of them here.  
> \- Don't hate me yet.

**Amy**

The way back to their penthouse was completely silent, but Amy could feel the immense tension in the air.

Kamilah wouldn't say a single word or even look at her, but Amy could tell how anxious and distressed she was. Her vampire senses could detect her wife was barely breathing. Her heartbeats also were highly unsteady and her muscles very stiff.

As they arrived, Amy followed her to the mastersuite and sat down on the edge of their bed. Kamilah paced around the room a few times, taking deep breaths, running a hand through her hair and gathering courage to speak, or even to face her. When she did though, there was an look in her eyes Amy had never seen before. An expression of disappointment, anger and especially pain.

"K-Kamilah…" that ice cold gaze broke Amy more than anything and she started to cry, almost unable to speak a single sentence properly, "p-please... say something. Anything."

"Shower!" Kamilah ordered, loud and firm. Her eyes were red in rage. "I can't even stand looking at you right now in this deplorable state! It's truly making me sick."

Looking down, Amy noticed her clothes, as well as her skin were still covered in blood. She quietly obeyed and walked to the bathroom.

Under the shower, she sat down on the floor, letting the water pour over her body. As she cried intensely, she tried to remember how she ended up in Priya's bed, or even worse… how she killed those mortals.

Nothing would come to her mind. Her memories were completely blank. If she forced too much, her head would sting. The last thing she could remember was the event, the photoshoot she did for Priya's clothing line. She had a few drinks, yes, but not that much. Not enough to lose control of her actions.

She had no idea how much time she passed under the shower, possibly a couple of hours. Returning to the bedroom, Kamilah was sitting down on an armchair, her face buried in her hands. Amy opened her mouth in a attempt to start talking, but Kamilah spoke in anticipation.

"I imagined it," her voice was low, but sharp. "When you became a vampire, I imagined that at some point you could change. The possibility you could get bored and decide to explore the world outside our marriage. I'd be hurt, of course, but I'd grant you freedom to sort out your feelings."

"I'd never ask for it," Amy tried to reason with her. "I love you and I'm completely sure of my feelings. Becoming a vampire didn't change anything inside me."

But Kamilah wasn't listening. She was too distant. Completely lost in her own feelings and thoughts.

"Out of all people… you cheated on me with _Priya_?!"

"N-No… I didn't. Kamilah, you have to believe me. I don't remember doing it."

"And you killed mortals," she raised her voice even more, almost yelling. "Five or six mortals, Amy. I could barely count, considering how mangled their bodies were."

"I didn't do it!" Amy argued. Tears started falling down her face again. "I didn't do it, I swear! I only remember being at that event I told you!"

"Did you have any alcohol?" Kamilah asked.

Amy nodded in confirmation.

"Not this much though."

"Did you feed before the event?"

"No," she told. "I was too busy. I'd feed when I got home."

"You should know that alcohol and bloodlust can produce disastrous results. You've seen that with Lily. And I've told you that before, a thousand times perhaps."

Amy sat down on the bed in front of her, shaking her head in denial.

"I didn't do it," she insisted. "I wish you would believe me."

"Trust me, I _wish_ I _could_ believe you," Kamilah stared directly into her eyes, before getting up and starting to walk away. "I… I'm leaving. I need some time alone."

"Kamilah…" Amy cried, "wait."

It was useless. As her wife left through the door, she was unsure about their future. The centuries of experiences of betrayal and suffering made Kamilah stop believing in second chances. And that was something Amy doubted that would ever change.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

The first thing Lysimachus did was to go to the kitchen, take a deep breath and prepare some coffee. Then, he attempted to call Kamilah, but his sister was unreachable. Without knowing her version of the facts, it was impossible to determine if Priya was telling the truth. Though she appeared to be extremely desperate, he knew her well enough to question if she couldn't be faking it.

And there was still Katherine, asleep in his bed. When she woke up and found Priya in the living room, things would get very heated.

"I need you to tell me from the beginning," he sat down on an armchair while drinking some coffee. "No lies."

"In case you haven't noticed," Priya spoke, showing some annoyance, "I've never had issues to admit my crimes and mistakes."

She mentioned how exhausted she started to feel at the event, what completely made her lose interest in her after-party. She even considered canceling it. She admitted she invited Amy, but never expected the girl to accept. After that, she could barely remember how she made it back to her mansion. In her bedroom, she had flashbacks about a normal conversation with Amy. And only.

"Who exactly was present at this event? Any psychic vampires or people with knowledge about witchcraft?"

"Not that I know of."

"Did you do any drugs?" Lysimachus wanted to know.

"No!" Priya scowled. "I'm telling you, I remember nothing. I blacked out. And besides… I was starving when I woke up, not normal for someone who literally devoured a group of mortals, don't you think?"

A million things started going through his mind. He remembered Amy's powers and what had been previously said about the darkness within her. Though he couldn't imagine she was capable of doing that, he had recently witnessed how she lost control of her powers. She was a psychic vampire. She would have the ability of modifying Priya's memories.

Lysimachus' phone buzzed. The invite to the tribunal Kamilah requested. He glanced at the message, then at Priya.

"Let's do this," he sighed.

He grabbed Priya's hands and focused. She breath in and out, letting go of the walls that guarded her thoughts and memories.

After entering her mind palace, scenes started playing inside Lysimachus' mind like a movie. He saw a child version of Priya, how hopeful and optimistic she was, despite the conditions she was born. Then a teenage version of her, lying to her ill mom about the ways she obtained money for her medication. Alone in her bedroom, she broke down in tears. Her adult version was already a vampire, making an alliance with Adam Vega.

"Hey," she snarled, "stop gossiping about my past and get straight to the point!"

"I must make a connection with your mind first," Lysimachus explained. "Sorry."

He finally managed to access her memories from the previous night. For his surprise, Priya was indeed telling the truth. She barely interacted with Amy during the event. After they left though, the images started getting strange, blurred and confusing. As if they were a mix between reality and an illusion, completely consumed by darkness and a presence he had felt before.

_"Soon all will burn…"_

Lysimachus quickly opened his eyes, affected by that female voice. But before, he saw Priya falling asleep on her bed, while Amy walked around the bedroom with her cell phone in hands. None of them naked or covered in blood.

"So?" Priya raised an eyebrow, expecting an answer.

"Somebody manipulated not only your memories, but your mind too," he told. "You didn't kill anyone. Or slept with Amy."

"Thank god, it'd be so unfair to not remember."

"Priya!"

"I'm sorry, that was a joke. Sort of."

"We still have a great trouble ahead," Lysimachus concluded. "The Council will not accept my Open Mind, knowing we had an involvement in the past."

* * *

**Kamilah**

"Can I just stay here for the day? I can't even think of showing up in my office right now."

"Sure. I'll get you some tea."

Kamilah's entered Adrian's office and sat on a comfortable couch. Ahmanet Financial was the last place on Earth she wanted to be. She even turned off her cell phone to avoid any communication.

The scene of her wife in bed with Priya, covered in blood wouldn't leave her mind. Everytime she closed her eyes that moment would replay again in front of her eyes.

She surely made mistakes of that kind herself in the past. She killed thousands of people. She was never faithful to one partner until now. But she never expected that coming from Amy. Her Amy. That gracious creature, with the kindest heart, that could light up even her darkest days. The only one who made her feel loved and worthy of redemption. The one who swore to remain loyal to her through the wedding vows.

"Here's it," Adrian offered her a cup. "It may help you to calm down."

In silence, she took a few sips from her tea. Wondering how much being a vampire still could change and destroy the woman she married to, and how much she would be able to take.

"What do you think?"

Adrian's voice caught her attention, Kamilah lifted her head up to look at him.

"She says she can't remember doing anything," she told. "But she also confessed being drunk and bloodlust."

"Do you think Priya could have drugged her or something?" Adrian questioned.

"She certainly could," Kamilah answered, pensive. "But why _now_? Why not when Amy was a mortal? Or when I was away?"

"As if Priya would consider any of those things when it comes to her interests. She had an opportunity and grabbed it."

With that, and the recent mortal disappearances, she and Adrian agreed it was time to call a Tribunal and finally punish Priya Lacroix for her crimes. Through his cell phone, he requested the presence of The Council at the ruined temple in the Central Park that night.

"What about Amy?" She hadn't stop to think about her wife's situation until now. "She's a member of my Clan and she certainly violated the Pact."

Adrian pondered for a moment and sighed.

"It's up to you," he said. "You're her Maker. And wife. But… she's a newly-Turned. All of us did something like that in the past."

"I know. I suppose I should let it pass this one time."

However, Kamilah feared the things she heard about Amy recently. She feared the darkness Serafine saw could be starting to consume her. Especially after she was able to reach her brother, who told her about their training session and how Amy slipped out of her self-control.

Going to the window, she could feel it. She could feel that dark and ancient presence in the air. Taking every corner of that office, the streets and the whole city. Prepared to rule and control what was hers by blood. The true power of a Goddess.

"She's here," Kamilah announced.

"Who?" Adrian asked.

"The First Vampire."

She hoped to be wrong but she could only imagine the possibility that legendary creature could be inhabiting her wife's body. And soon they'd become one person.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

"Look," Lysimachus checked his watch and started walking around the living room, finding the best manner to announce the news. "You shouldn't be here. You could seriously compromise me."

"Are you denying me protection?" Priya was following him like a shadow. "Right now your sister could be out there, ready to take my head."

"She's not."

"How can you be so sure?"

Lysimachus showed her the message on his phone, where Adrian requested their presence for a Tribunal. Before that, by the Pact, Kamilah wouldn't be doing anything.

"The best you can do is to go home… and wait. At midnight, you show up at the Tribunal and we'll see what can be done."

"Are you out of your mind?" Priya grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "They're going to kill me! Adrian, Kamilah and Jax will vote for it. Lester can be convinced with some _favors_. But even with your vote and his, they still win."

"I'm sorry," Lysimachus lowered his head, avoiding to look her in the eyes. "I've done what I could. It's up to you now."

"After everything you're going to abandon me? Please, you gotta help me to escape the hell out of here."

"I can't."

Priya opened her mouth to argue, but was interrupted by Katherine's arrival in the living room.

"Oh," she let out an ironic laugh, "that explains everything. When this mortal dumped you, you didn't hesitate to go after me and now..."

"It's not that," he tried to excuse. "and I was drunk that night."

"You're abominable, like the rest of the men in this planet. I hope she puts you through hell and make you suffer the worst of the pains!"

As Priya walked to the front door and opened it violently, two members of Adrian's Clan were standing outside.

"What the hell is that?!" Priya questioned, looking at him.

Lysimachus answered with a signal that he had no idea of what was going on.

"Ms. Lacroix, you're under custody of The Council until your Tribunal tonight," the men grabbed Priya by the arms, dragging her away. He looked at Katherine.

"I heard the conversation," she explained. "She was going to runaway, so I did what I had to do. I called Adrian."

"Katherine, you shouldn't…"

"She _murdered_ people! She must be punished. Or were you going to be an accomplice and let her escape?"

"She's innocent. I saw it, inside her mind."

"I knew meeting you here was a mistake," Katherine shook her head in denial and went to the bedroom to pick up the rest of her stuff.

"Yeah," Lysimachus whispered to himself. "Maybe it was."

As she left, he locked himself in his office. Going to Priya's house now to collect evidence could be a bad move. After Katherine's call, members of other Clans were certainly there, to guard and collect the evidence. He couldn't find any other manners to help her. If only he had attended the event when she invited him. But he was so desperate to fix things with Katherine. Her visit to the city was the perfect opportunity.

Lysimachus' cell phone rang. It was Rheya. She wanted to know about her membership in his Clan. He rolled his eyes.

"Sorry," he told, "The Council is in the middle of something very serious right now."

_"Anything I can help with?"_

"Not really. A complicated voting is on the way."

_"I see, it sounds very conflicting,"_ she said. _"You can be caught in a situation to decide between what's right or going against your loved ones."_

"Exactly, I…" he stopped. How did she even know that? She knew exactly what he was thinking. _Soon all will burn_. That voice, that accent returned to his mind. They sounded exactly the same. "Rheya, I have to go now. I need to prepare."

Was it possible that The First Vampire had been so close to them for weeks? Who would even believe him?

* * *

**Kamilah**

Adrian took care of all the preparations for the Tribunal. In her state of mind, Kamilah wouldn't able to handle of everything by herself. She only called Serafine, to request her presence to perform an Open Mind on the witnesses and Priya, if she desired.

She only returned to the penthouse to get dressed. Finding it empty brought Kamilah some painful feelings. Amy had left too and for what it seemed, she wouldn't be returning any time soon.

Being alone in that big and silent place seemed like a nightmare. Only a few days earlier, they talked about starting a family. Having a kid or two. Adopting a cat. Now Kamilah didn't even know if they were still in the same page.

She sighed and prepared to leave earlier, but Lysimachus knocked at her door, interrupting her.

"Sister, we need to talk," he rushed inside, breathless and nervous. "It's… I think the First Vampire is among us."

"I felt it too this morning," Kamilah told. "But she's a problem for another time. Now we must judge and properly punish Priya for her actions."

"Here's the deal. I think she caused that situation, entering Priya's mind and manipulating her memories. She doesn't remember doing any of that."

Kamilah stared at him for a moment before rolling her eyes.

"Brother… dear brother," she shook her head in denial, "do you really think _The First Vampire_ , a _mythical_ being, main priority would be ruining the life of _Priya Lacroix_? Or end _my_ marriage? I'm sorry, I know you two had a history but… there's no excuse this time."

Kamilah kept walking headed to her car. Lysimachus kept following her.

"I know it sounds stupid when I put it this way," he proceeded. "But her biggest interest has always been Amy."

"Because she could bring her back to life?" Kamilah argued. "I see no reason why she'd be after Amy now she's back. _If_ she's back. And for what we know, she could be inhabiting Amy's body."

"What about Rheya, huh? Don't you think she's strange?"

Kamilah silenced again, rolling her eyes twice, to show how stupid that sounded.

"Oh please. Do you think she came out from a tree, after over 2000 years, speaking fluent English and with expert knowledge in marketing?! I have her records, brother. I have access to her profile on the Order's database."

With no more crazy theories, her brother seemed to call defeat. He closed his eyes and begged:

"A few more days. Wait a few more days, Priya is innocent."

"We'll know about that," Kamilah assured. "In every Tribunal, the subject has witnesses and can be submitted to an Open Mind, if they wish."

"I can do the Open Mind."

"Serafine is doing it. She's a psychic too and I trust her."

She drove away, ignoring his pleads. It was time to finally punish Priya for her crimes. Since her arrival in America, she always refused to follow orders. She was always involved in many cases of death and disappearances of mortals.

"Rheya..." Kamilah shook her head in denial.

Even if she had the sensation of The First Vampire's presence in the air, she doubted Rheya had anything to do with her. She had been examining her closely since she was hired. That woman seemed to have a good heart, that had been broken several times, but still showed strength and determination. Kamilah trusted her, and so did her employees.

When she arrived at the ruined temple, the other Council members arrived shortly after, Lysimachus being the last. Adrian ordered his Clan members to place Priya in the middle of the circle. They started the Tribunal as usual.

"Anything you have to say in your defense?" Kamilah asked Priya, her eyes glaring with hate.

"I'm innocent," Priya declared. "This was a set-up. Somebody altered my conscience, manipulated my memories and organized that awful scene in my bedroom."

"Oh, because it _never_ happened before."

"It did and I had no issue to assume my involvement. But now… I'm telling the truth, Kamilah."

"And who could be the person behind that set-up, if it wasn't you?"

"I… I only have one person in mind. _Katherine_!"

Kamilah decided to ignore that accusation, believing Priya wasn't taking the Tribunal seriously. That was the most absurd joke she heard since his brother's theory about Rheya.

"Proceed," she requested Serafine's presence. "Bring the witnesses."

What she didn't expect was that her wife would be one of the two witnesses. Their eyes locked as she entered the temple, and Kamilah could notice Amy had been crying a lot. She felt like being punched in the stomach. That would be the hardest thing to do.

* * *

**Amy**

"She'll never forgive me, Lil," Amy sobbed on Lily's lap, after telling her the events of the previous night and the outcome. " _I can't_ forgive _myself_."

Besides the doubt she had about Kamilah ever giving her a second chance for what she did, she was also consumed by the guilt of killing innocent people.

"And I don't remember any of it."

"Do you think it's possible Priya drugged you?"

"I don't know," Amy told. "She was pretty freaked out when she woke up too. But… it's Priya we're talking about. We've been warned about her so many times before."

"Have you spoke to her?" Lily wanted to know. "Maybe she remembers something you doesn't."

"The last thing I want right now is to see her."

She left Lily's room to walk around the Shadow Den, but not even Lula's sweet smile or a conversation with Liv could lighten her mood. Not only her marriage was at stake, but her sanity too. Was it possible she lost control of herself and her powers that badly? Was she starting to become that monster from her visions?

The darkness. She placed a hand over her own chest, wondering if it was really inside her, ready to consume her and turn her into her worst self. Adrian was known as the Butcher Of Antietam. Kamilah as the Reaper Of Pompeii. Would she become the Slaughterer Of Manhattan?

"Hey Amy," Jax sat down by her side on a bench. "Is everything alright? Why was I invited to an emergency Tribunal?"

"Priya. She slaughtered a few people last night," tears started rolling from her eyes. "And apparently I helped her, before we slept together."

"Oh."

She could see the shock and disappointment in his face too. That same look she received from Adrian, Lily and especially Kamilah.

"I don't remember doing it…" she cried, "yet, I feel like a monster! I still can feel all that blood on my skin. I should be at that Tribunal too."

"Amy, hey," Jax embraced her. "Knowing Priya, she set this up. It's obvious. And even if you didn't resist it and fed yourself some of that blood… we all made mistakes at some point. It doesn't make you a monster."

"That's it," something sparkled inside her mind. "I was starving when I woke up. I only fed before I came here."

"Maybe you should be at the Tribunal, you know? Tell your version, ask for an Open Mind. You'll prove your innocence."

With a lot of effort, she followed Jax's suggestion. Facing Kamilah in that moment felt terrible. She still had the same look in her eyes. But Jax was right, that was the only manner she could prove her innocence. Or at least her regrets.

"First witness," Kamilah announced, avoiding eye contact with Amy, "Sergio. One of Priya's houseboys."

"Come on," Priya rolled her eyes. "Sergio?! Please."

That was the first time Amy saw that man fully dressed. He sat in one of the chairs and Serafine Dupont started to connect her mind to his.

"Sergio," Kamilah asked. "How long have you been working for Priya?"

"A few years," the houseboy answered.

"Is it the first time you see mortals getting slaughtered?"

"I-I… no."

Priya scowled at her employee, who showed some discomfort. Kamilah proceeded.

"Were you with Priya at every minute of her latest party?"

"No."

"Where was she?"

"In the room. With Amy."

"He tells the truth," Serafine concluded. "For all the questions."

"Fine," Kamilah approached Sergio. "You can go. The Council will assure you protection. Don't worry."

She turned around, facing Amy directly for the first time. She cleared her throat.

"Next witness. Amy."

Amy sat down at the chair. Her heart pounding inside her chest. Serafine's fingers pressed hard on her temples. She allowed her to access her mind. Fully.

_"I can't do this,"_ she heard Kamilah whispering distantly.

"Amy," Adrian started to conduct the interrogation, "did you willingly accepted to go to Priya's house?"

"I can't remember well," she did her best to answer. "But… I think so?"

"You sent pictures to your best friend, Lily Spencer, in her bedroom. Do you have any memories of this part?"

Amy made a huge effort. Everything was a dark blur. But then, she was able to distinguish something.

"Not much. I remember being sat on her bed. She asked me how I was doing as a vampire."

"Nothing else?"

"No."

Adrian took a deep breath before asking the final question.

"Amy," he spoke cautiously, "did you help Priya to kill those mortals?"

"I don't remember," she replied.

"She…" Serafine paused, "she's telling the truth, she can't remember. And I can't access those memories either."

Kamilah went back to the center of the circle, face to face with Priya.

"Are you ready to confess?" She asked. "Or do you request an Open Mind too?"

"I do," Priya accepted, confident. "Test me. Like Amy, I don't have those memories."

"Serafine, find out if Priya is responsible for the last mortal disappearances too. Two of the cases were close to her club, the Crimson Veil."

"What?! This is a set-up... someone is plotting against me!"

Serafine approached, pressing the fingers on her temples. She scanned Priya's mind for some long minutes. Amy could barely breathe, Lily squeezed her hand. All The Council members watched in silence.

"I confess," Priya suddenly announced. "I drugged Amy… I forced her to have sex with me… I slaughtered those mortals… she only fed from them."

_"What?!"_ Amy wondered. _"But she…"_

"Priya Lacroix," Kamilah shouted, interrupting her thoughts, "I sentence you to the ultimate punishment, according to the Pact. I sentence you to death. Shall we vote? Those in favor of the sentence say _'aye'_."

As expected, Adrian and Jax voted in favor of Priya's punishment.

"Lester?"

The male vampire glanced at Priya.

"Sorry, gal. You've got yourself in real trouble this time. _Aye_."

It was Lysimachus turn to vote. Amy could almost read his thoughts. He was furious. And scared.

"This is craziness! She's innocent. I did an Open Mind on her back in my apartment. She was under the influence of someone. Like she must be now."

Kamilah rolled her eyes at him.

"Your vote, brother."

" _Nay_."

"My vote is _aye_. Four _'ayes'_ against one _'nay'_. The sentence is accepted by The Council."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:  
> \- Sequel to the fics For You, In The Daylight and Without You. You can read all of them here.  
> \- You can stop hating me now 😂  
> \- My fellow writers: stay home writing your awesome fics.  
> \- Dear readers: stay home reading and leaving your lovely reviews. We love you. Stay safe!

**Amy**

Amy stood frozen, watching what could be Priya Lacroix's final moments. She tried to figure out what was going on. Only a few minutes earlier, the fashion designer was arguing and insisting on her innocence. Why did she change her posture so suddenly and decided to confess?

They exchanged a quick glance, Priya appeared to be so confused and lost as she was. Amy blinked and in the next moment, Kamilah was already in front of her with a sharp stake in hands.

"What's going on here?" Priya asked. "I..."

"Don't play dumb on me Lacroix," Kamilah poked her side with the stake. "You know the Pact. You killed mortals for over a century and got away. Now you will finally pay for your crimes."

"Stake? It's too old fashioned, don't you think?"

"I could rip off your heart or cut off your head, if you prefer."

"This is abuse!" The fashion designer argued. "Here's the deal, you've gotten the wrong person this time. The real murderer is still out there."

Kamilah rolled her eyes at Priya, ready to stake her.

"Wait," Serafine Dupont interrupted. "I couldn't see her memories but... I know someone who might. Would you allow her to do a second Open Mind on Priya?"

"Serafine," Kamilah sighed and frowned, "she just confessed."

"I didn't, somebody manipulated me! _Again_!"

Upon Priya's appeals, the other Council members voted and agreed to allow a second Open Mind.

"And who would be that person?"

Rheya appeared from behind a column, a little uncomfortable with that whole situation.

"Rheya told me she's also a psychic vampire," Serafine told.

"That's true," the Greek vampire continued. "For years the Order used my powers, to conduct experiments and torture others of our kind. They even enhanced it a bit. Since then, I promised myself to never use them again, but considering the situation..."

Kamilah wasn't able to say no. She allowed Rheya to approach, before she walked away from the Tribunal, trying to digest what was going on. Amy had the impulse of going after her, but she stopped herself. 

While touching Priya's temples, Rheya closed her eyes, examining the fashion designer's mind for a few minutes.

"Oh my god," she exclaimed. "This is... this is horrible!"

"What are you seeing, Rheya?" Adrian asked.

"I can see a darkness spreading all around her mind palace, like tendrils or cobwebs. Hiding memories, taking control of her conscience, slowly consuming everything. I can also feel a _presence_."

"Can you remove it?"

"I can try."

Rheya closed her eyes again. Amy could see the psychic energy radiating through her hands. Priya started to scream in agony, as if a real parasite was actually being removed from her brain. 

“Ouch, my head!" She moaned, after Rheya finished. "What have you done? It feels like hangover but worse…”

"I removed the dark influence from your brain," Rheya explained.

“Wait, I remember now. God, I was reading those stupid comments about my clothes when I felt terribly sleepy… I… we…”

“You didn’t have sex with Amy. Or killed those mortals.”

With Priya proven to be innocent, the Tribunal was dismissed and she couldn't be more grateful to Rheya.

"Wouldn't you like to come to my mansion, darling? I'd like to thank you properly."

"Oh. You're welcome, but..." Rheya looked down, blushing a little. "It's not really my thing. I'd be okay if you could give me one of your wonderful dresses instead."

"Sure. But my door is always open in case you change your mind."

After they finished talking, Amy met Rheya before going home. She was amazed by her psychic abilities, wondering if she could ever do something that great herself.

"What you did there," the girl smiled, "it was truly amazing, Rheya! I hope I can do similar things someday."

"Trust me, Amy," she squeezed her shoulder. "You _can_. You only need some practice. Would you like me to come to my place tomorrow? After all, your mind was also affected."

"Of course. That would be awesome."

Jax offered a ride, but Amy decided to walk back to the Shadow Den in Lily's company. This manner they could chat and she could breathe some fresh air.

“Crazy night, huh?” Lily wrapped an arm around her shoulders. 

“Hell yeah,” she told, letting out a weary sigh. "For a moment I really thought Priya was guilty."

"That Rheya woman is pretty badass... and hot. Really hot!"

A luxurious car stopped by them, rolling down the windows. Amy was very familiar with that model. That was Kamilah’s car.

"Amy,” she called. “Come with me. We need to talk.”

* * *

**Kamilah**

The rooftop at Ahmanet Financial was the only place where Kamilah could find some peace and relaxation when she was stressed, but that night nothing could help. She served herself another dose of gin.

“Stop,” Amy told, “you’ve had almost the entire bottle.”

She left the glass by the bar and sat next to her wife in the pool lounge. She stared at the sky, remember the very first time they were there together.

“You invited me to enter your loneliness.”

“Yes, I did."

Kamilah didn’t know what to say. She was consumed by a terrible guilt for not believing her wife. At the same time, she began to wonder who would be capable of such a thing. And why.

“Amy,” she lowered her head in shame. “I… I don’t know what to say. I suppose I’m the one who should beg for forgiveness now.”

“Kamilah,” Amy grabbed both of her hands. “You don’t have to, okay? In your shoes, I’d have freaked out too.”

“I didn’t believe you. You’re my wife, this isn't supposed to happen.”

“Whoever did this, planned it very well. Anyone would’ve believed Priya and I…”

“It won’t happen again,” Kamilah assured, firmly. “I’ll never question your word again. I promise.”

“Why don’t we just pretend it never happened, huh?” Amy asked, smiling for the first time. “Let’s leave it behind and restart from where we were before.”

She pressed a kiss on Kamilah’s lips. Kamilah deepened the kiss, parting her lips with her tongue as her hands pulled Amy closer to her body. They kissed for minutes. A long and passionate kiss.

“Whoa, I think it pretty much has made up for our hours separated.”

“Not even close,” Kamilah wrapped her arms around Amy’s waist again. “I’ll need a lot more to forgive myself for not trusting you.”

“If you say so,” Amy playfully nibbled on her lower lip. “I don’t mind you kissing me like this for the rest of the night.”

“There’s nothing else I’d love more.”

After making out for a few minutes, Amy suggested they should strip off their clothes and enter the large swimming pool. 

"What are you planning?" Kamilah raised a curious eyebrow from the middle of the pool.

"Underwater kissing," Amy landed on her like a cannonball, pushing them both to the bottom, where she cupped Kamilah's face and pulled her for another kiss. When they returned to surface, both of them were breathless.

"That was... amazing..."

"Perks of not... having to... breathe."

Kamilah looked at her wife's perfect wet body, the moonlight reflecting on it, making her look even more stunning than she already was. 

"Come here," she called.

"For what?" Amy asked.

"I want to make it up to you."

As she approached, Kamilah pushed her against the pool's wall, where she began to kiss her even more intense and hungrier than before. She descended her fangs, letting them brush on Amy's lips, before going down to her neck.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered in her wife's ear. "I love you."

"I love you too," Amy caressed her naked chest, massaging her breasts and her toned stomach. "Who would be even crazy to desire another woman, being married to you?"

She positioned herself on Kamilah's tight, where she started moving her hips and moan in pleasure.

"Are you saying..." Kamilah looked at her with a mischievous grin, before pressing her leg harder against Amy's center, "that you belong to me, and only me?"

"Oh," Amy gasped. "O-Of course I am... I'm your Mrs. Sayeed. Ah!"

"I love when you make sounds like this," Kamilah's nails pinched on her side. "It drives me crazy."

Amy increased the pressure and speed of her movements, throwing her head back as she lost herself in bliss. That exposed neck was an irresistible sight and Kamilah punctured it with her fangs, seductively and slowly drawing some blood.

The bite only intensified Amy's pleasure, making her reach ecstasy instantly. She wrapped her arms around Kamilah's neck, panting and smiling.

"You're more than forgiven."

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Adrian was kind enough to let go of the guards and trust Lysimachus to watch Priya for a few days, to make sure that whoever manipulated her mind wouldn't be returning. He couldn’t take her to his apartment, it was too close from his sister and Amy, the wound was still fresh. Instead, he went to her mansion to stay for a few days.

“Priya, what happened in the Tribunal when you confessed?” He asked, intrigued. “Inside your mind, I mean.”

“Here’s the thing, Hunter,” she explained. “I didn’t confess? I blacked out. Like I did in my bedroom last night.”

“And could you feel that presence inside your mind?”

“Yes, sometimes I felt it inside me all the time. It was almost like being under the effect of alcohol, but stronger. It’s strange.”

Priya opened her bedroom's door, realizing it was still covered in blood from the previous night. Furiously, she requested her houseboys to clean it, paint the walls and buy a new bed and sheets.

"I can't believe I'm going to have to sleep in one of the guest rooms!" She complained.

"What's wrong with them?" Lysimachus asked. "Too small?"

"A little. It's rarely used. You know, guests never stay for too long.

"Oh."

Lysimachus followed her to the personal bar she had inside the mansion. She served them both drinks before inviting him to a pool game. 

"I'd like to understand... for what purpose?” Priya seemed focus, but irritated. "Why would someone cause such a thing, especially with Amy?"

In Lysimachus opinion, Amy was the main target of that situation. If Rheya, the First Vampire, had a purpose for her, Kamilah was an obstacle. She probably knew how jealous his sister would become when Priya used to hit on her wife.

“So who’s _Serabitch_ anyways?” Priya's question pulled him back to reality. “I don’t trust her.”

“An old friend of Kamilah and Adrian," Lysimachus made his move, realizing his distraction made him very close from losing the game.

“Nasty! But I’d totally bang her too.”.

“It wasn’t Serafine."

“Oh come on,” Priya drank for a giant cup of beer. “She has _the_ type. _My_ type. _Trouble_. It’s written everywhere.”

“But she didn’t," Lysimachus drank from his too. "That manipulation was too complex for a vampire like her. Even for me.”

In one last move, Priya hit the 8-ball and won the game. She briefly celebrated and taunted him.

“I think I'm gonna have some sleep,” she yawned. “Are you coming with me?”

“No, thanks," Lysimachus refused. "Do you mind if I use your gym?"

“As you wish. But if your little girlfriend is around when I wake up, then we’ll have a _fair_ Tribunal.”

“She won’t.”

In fact, Lysimachus had other priorities in mind. Not Priya or even Katherine. He needed to find proof of Rheya's real identity and a manner to defeat her.

* * *

**Amy**

In the next day, Amy agreed to meet Rheya after lunch. The older vampire was already expecting her presence, to offer some help with her psychic powers and to examine Amy's mind for any dark influences.

She guided her to a couch, where they talked for a few minutes to create a connection.

"Well, things with Kamilah have been a lot better now," Amy told. "Yet, I still couldn't regain my memories from that night."

"Priya said she felt controlled, do you feel the same?" Rheya asked.

"No. Sometimes I feel a scratch on the back of my mind, as if it is really trying to act, but somehow I'm able to break it."

"Hmmm... interesting."

Rheya held her hands, accessing her mind. Amy guarded some memories. Things she wanted to keep for herself. Such as her obscure visions.

"I can see it," she said. "But you're going to have to fight it yourself."

"Me?!" Amy asked in shock. "How can I even do this?"

"Do you know how to access your mind palace?"

"Honestly? No. Everything I do is kinda by impulse. In the heat of the moment."

"I'll show you how."

Rheya put on some relaxing music and told Amy to close her eyes. Then she started to guide her to the depths of her own mind. Suddenly she saw herself on a path, with scenes of different moments of her life being displayed like portraits.

She picked one. A memory from her childhood. Her mom had been locked in the bedroom for hours. Her little brother was crying on his crib and her six years old self had no idea of what to do.

"Mama?" She knocked at the door repeatedly. "Please... open the door..."

Amy's child version closed her eyes, seeing images about an island. A dark island. Surrounded by shadows and death.

" _Amy,_ " a male voice called for her.

She opened her eyes quickly and rushed back to her bedroom, where she stayed hidden under the covers until her father got home from work.

" _Damn it. I had forgotten... what the hell was that?_ "

Then she saw herself on a double-way path, each one displayed a different image. The first one showed a beautiful garden and two children, a boy and a girl. The second one showed Amy herself, with her eyes burning red while she walked around New York. The city was completely destroyed. There were bodies everywhere and only one thing she desired... _blood_.

" _What?! What are those scenes?! T-They aren't real! I could never... and who are those children?_ "

She took a deep breath, recomposing herself. She focused on the night of Priya's party, that was the memory she needed to access.

“ _Focus on answers, Amy,_ ” she told herself. Those scenes were probably a distraction to get her out of her main priority.

She thought about the event they attended, being teleported straight to that memory. She watched everything again, from the moment they arrived to the point Priya invited her to the after-party. After that, all the memories were guarded by dark tendrils and cobwebs. A presence that would cause fear in anyone that approached them.

“Okay intruders... time to get the hell out of here."

Amy gained courage and attempted to remove the cobwebs with her hands, but the tendrils wrapped around her wrists and ankles dragging her into a spiral of pain. She insisted, fighting them off. She focused all her strength on her powers.

She trying to hit the dark shapes with psychic blasts, what wasn’t enough to destroy them yet. The tendrils wrapped themselves around her neck, strangling her. She started to squirm and gasp for air. She could hear Rheya's voice calling for her. 

“I can’t…” she tried to tell her. Even if she wanted, the dark presence wouldn’t let her go back.

Whoever did that, had powers that outmatched any of the vampires she knew. There was no way Amy could win. She was almost succumbing, giving up. She felt darkness starting to drag her to that path, the one the lead to destruction and death.

“No!” She yelled. “Get off me!”

Amy focused again, channeling all her power, until she was able to summon her own shapes to fight those dark ones. And for her surprise, they were stronger. They had the power to destroy everything guarding those memories and trying to manipulate her thoughts. Within seconds, all darkness was gone. She touched the shapes she created, making them vanish.

Then, she accessed a portal that lead her to Priya’s bedroom that night.

_“I don’t know if I’m too drunk, or maybe tired, but my brain feel very strange right now,” Priya yawned. “I may take a nap before… having some fun downstairs.”_

_“Do you mind if I stay around a little longer? Your bedroom looks so great, I’m interested to see your closet and your sketches.”_

_“Whatevs, just don’t touch any of my toys.”_

“That’s it,” Amy smiled. “She went sleep and I…”

Slowly the memory started to reappear inside her mind. She explored the room, took some pictures and started feeling sleepy too. She crawled to the bed, falling asleep next to Priya.

She exhaled a relieved sigh and opened her eyes, coming back to Rheya's living room.

The fighting session inside her mind palace left Amy completely exhausted and hungry. Everything she wished for when she returned to the penthouse were a couple of blood bags and a long nap. However, when she opened the door she detected another presence inside her place.

"What?!"

Before she could move further, a small furry creature started to rub on her legs. A little black kitten.

"Hey you," Amy held the kitten in her arms, noticing a small note attached on the collar around its neck. "Where did you even came from?"

She read the note, recognizing her wife's perfect handwriting:

" _I could kiss you for a thousand times and still wouldn't feel enough. I had to find another manner of showing you how sorry I am._

 _I love you._ "

* * *

**Kamilah**

Not even for a second, Kamilah believed her brother’s crazy theory. But her following days were completely dedicated to observe Rheya closely and get answers regarding any questions that could be raised about her true origins.

First, she called her to her office in the morning and she made sure to leave the curtains opened.

“Mrs. Sayeed,” the woman entered. “I mean, Kamilah. You requested to see me?”

“Yes, Rheya. Sit down please.”

The sunlight was reflecting right on the woman’s skin. If she was sensible to sunlight, like most of the vampires, it wouldn’t take long for her to feel bothered.

“Amy will be returning to her position in a few days,” Kamilah informed. “Yet, I’d like to keep you around. Would you mind if you two lead together?”

“Of course not! I’d feel honored…” Rheya looked down to her shoulder, noticing the sun for the first time. “Kamilah, you forgot the curtains. It's burning... Ouch!”

She quickly got up, seeking refuge in another corner of the office until Kamilah finally closed the curtains.

“I’m sorry about that. I forget not all of us were blessed with one of those rings or… abilities only the First Vampire had.”

Rheya didn’t react upon the mention. She just smiled and said there was no problem, before asking about Kamilah’s ring and how she obtained it.

By the end of the conversation, Kamilah delivered the second part of her plan.

“Why don’t you come to our home for dinner?” She invited. “Amy was telling me about your training session and how she adores your company this morning.”

“Of course,” Rheya agreed. “I enjoy her company too. She’s a good friend.”

By 8 PM, everything was ready for the night. Kamilah cooked a special meal with traditional Greek dishes. She also chose the most appropriate drinks for the occasion.

“I still don’t understand why you invited Rheya for dinner,” Amy was quite intrigued. “Why so suddenly?”

“Amy, she helped you with your memories,” Kamilah lied. “Also, you’re returning to your job. Maybe things won’t work out with the two of you in the same position and I want no hard feelings from her part.”

Her wife quickly agreed. After a few minutes, Rheya joined them at the penthouse. Amy put on some music and taught her some dance moves while Kamilah prepared the table.

“This is absolutely delicious,” the woman grinned as she took a bite of the food. “It’s just like my mom taught me to cook. And how I cooked for…”

She silenced, lost in memories.

“I’m sorry,” Kamilah apologized, briefly touching her hand. “That wasn’t supposed to bring any melancholy. I wanted you to feel home.”

“Oh darling, no. I’m more than grateful, it had been a long time since I tasted such a delightful food. Nowadays everything is so…”

“Greasy?”

“Exactly.”

“Come on,” Amy complained. “Are you telling me you’re not a fan of a good corndog? French fries? Or deep fried chicken?”

“I lament to disappoint you, Amy,” Rheya laughed. “But I’m with Kamilah in this one.”

“You obviously haven’t been introduced to the right places. I’ll be glad to show you. Even Kamilah likes them, even if she won’t admit it.”

“Things I do to please my wife,” Kamilah rolled her eyes.

The night continued. After dessert, they gave Rheya a tour of the penthouse. She was very interested in the antique artifacts, which Kamilah was more than glad to show and explain. Amy showed her the terrace, her favorite part of their home. Kamilah watched them in silence.

“Such a amazing view,” Rheya was impressed. “Looking from here, it’s almost like New York is all yours. It’s magical.”

“I know,” Amy told. “This is why I like it. I can almost _feel_ the whole city and all its wonders. Now I’m a vampire, I can _feel_ the people too.”

“And you feel like a queen of your own empire.”

“Sort of," the girl broke into playful expression. "Hey, I’m Kamilah’s queen. She even bought me a tiara on the jewelry store, would you like to see it?”

Amy came back from the bedroom wearing a tiara Kamilah bought to cheer her up during a visit to the mall. It was right after they defeated Gaius and her wife was feeling a little bit traumatized from her almost-death experience. Kamilah smiled broadly at the view, as if she was seeing it for the first time.

“This is beautiful,” Rheya examined the tiara in her hands. “Kamilah has made a good job picking her queen.”

“She certainly did,” Amy grinned, looking at her wife. "Right?!”

Kamilah approached, wrapping her arms around her waist.

“What can I say? I’m the luckiest woman in this planet.”

“You two make a beautiful couple. I… I was a priestess back in Greece, would you mind if I did a sacred prayer to bless your marriage?”

“Of course not,” Kamilah said. Amy also agreed.

The Greek vampire closed her eyes and started to voice a prayer in an ancient language. Amy glanced at Kamilah and took her hand, squeezing it tightly.

“That’s it,” Rheya finished. “May the Goddess grant you long and prosper years of happiness, fertility and blessings.”

Kamilah smiled at her wife and also at her employee. Until proven otherwise, there was absolutely nothing wrong about that woman.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

It was late night, but Lysimachus followed Rheya around the streets of New York. She went straight to the building she was living.

From the street, he called her with the excuse he needed to speak to her before The Council voting. She told him to meet her at her apartment.

Lysimachus waited a few minutes and knocked at her door. His heart was racing inside his chest, after all he’d be facing the First Vampire. The woman that, so far, was only a legend. Far from their reality.

“Come on in, darling,” she invited him.

“Thank you,” he made his way inside, observing carefully every detail of the place. She hadn’t put any decorations on her wall or added a personal touch that suggested she’d be staying for too long. “I’m here to talk you about the Branding procedure.”

Rheya walked to a cabinet where she pulled a bottle of wine and served it in two glasses. She took a sip and smiled. Then, she approached Lysimachus from behind.

“Really?” She said, almost whispering. “I thought you were here to talk about _something else_.”

Her cold hand caressed his cheek, sending shivers all over his body. Even the room temperature seemed to have dropped. Lysimachus had never felt so dizzy and nauseous before.

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“ _Lysimachus_. What a beautiful name, it has grounds in my homeland, the ancient Greece.”

She continued to sip from her glass and stare at him with a knowing look. The smile on her face was comforting and devilish, at the same time. Lysimachus could just get up and run, but his body wouldn’t move. He was completely drawn by Rheya’s presence, like if she had put him under a spell.

“You remind me of another Greek boy I knew,” her hand lowered to his chest, stopping at his heart. “Xenocrates. Idealistic, kind and strong. I had given him a gift and he betrayed me. It’s a shame we ended this way.”

“I met him,” Lysimachus said after a pause. “He was the leader of the Order Of Dawn.”

“Correct. He despised so much what I gave him, that he wanted to put his own kind in extinction and then kill himself. Isn’t it what you wanted too? To end everything Gaius created, including yourself?”

“Y-Yes. Back when I still believed my sister was dead. I’ve stopped ever since.”

The female vampire sat down in front of him, her eyes never leaving his. Lysimachus felt like he was reading even the depths of his soul.

“Now you’re a _Nighthunter_ , as they call,” Rheya concluded. “And there’s your dear Katherine, so fragile, so weak… so _mortal_.”

“Don’t you even dare to touch her,” in an impulse, he finally stood up. “Whatever you’re planning, leave her out of it!”

Rheya stood up too, she was now face to face with him.

“I desire a world where my children can live in peace and I will stop whoever stands in my way, mortals or even vampires.”

“I knew it from the first time I saw you! You’re…”

“The First Vampire? Yes, my dear. I’ve always felt we had a connection, since you entered my Tomb.”

“I have no connection with you,” Lysimachus argued. “You’ve lied, you manipulated Priya’s mind, you’ve put Amy and my sister through hell, what else do you want, huh? If you’re going to kill me, just fucking do it.”

“Kill you?” Rheya laughed. “No. You’re one of my most precious progeny. You could serve well to my purposes.”

Lysimachus felt the back of his mind itching, as if somebody was trying to violate it. She was trying to manipulate him, he could sense it.

“Go to hell and rot in there!” He fought against her influence and grabbed an Holy Arrow hiding on his back, stabbing Rheya in the chest.

She collapsed to her knees, holding the spot where he had injured her. That obviously wasn't enough to kill her. While she had gotten weaker, that malicious grin didn't take long to return to her face.

“Well, well…” she said. “It’s a war then. Don’t worry, my dear. Go home. We’ll see each other again, very soon.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Sequel to the fics For You, In The Daylight and Without You. You can read all of them here.  
> \- This chapter is my baby and I’m really proud of it. I hope you like it too!  
> \- I probably won’t be around for the next few days (for BB finale included), so please forgive me if I take too long to post Chapter 11.  
> \- My fellow writers: stay home writing your awesome fics.  
> \- Dear readers: stay home reading and leaving your lovely reviews. We love you. Stay safe!

**Kamilah**

In her office, Kamilah tried one last time to dial her brother’s number. Voice mail again. She rolled her eyes.

“Until when are you going to ignore me?” She sighed.

She remembered their last conversation, a few days earlier. It was late night, he knocked her penthouse’s door repeatedly. When Kamilah opened it, Lysimachus was pale as a ghost. His heart was racing inside his chest and his breath shallow and quick, indicating he was in great distress.

“It’s her, Kamilah,” he told, when she forced him to sit down and calm himself. “Rheya’s the First.”

“Brother, she just left my place,” she argued. “I invited her for dinner. I tested her through the day. There’s no evidence…”

“She confessed, Kamilah! Right in my face. She’s not who you think she is, okay? She set up that whole situation with Priya. She threatened to kill Katherine… and me!”

Kamilah sat down and looked deeply into his brother eyes. They never lied to each other. And he was scared, truly scared. In truth, she had never seen Lysimachus so frightened before.

“Brother, I…” she grabbed his hand, unsure of what to say to comfort him. Unsure of what to think. “I’m so confused.”

“Why don’t you believe me?” He seemed hurt. Truly hurt. And especially obsessed to find a manner to defeat the First Vampire.

In the next morning, Adrian called her. An emergency. A vial containing a blood sample from the Tree Of Eternal Life had disappeared from the laboratory. They searched all over the city, in every place it could be. They conducted searches at Priya’s mansion and club, Lester’s businesses and even among their own Clan members. There was no sign of the blood.

Until Kamilah found it by accident, inside the secret weapon storage in her brother’s apartment. Lysimachus swore, once again, that it was Rheya’s doing. But all evidence lead to him. His old card was used to access the safest areas in the laboratory. The employees also remembered seeing him there during the night. The footage from the security cameras had been purposely erased. Everything pointed to one direction, he planned to ingest the blood to become more powerful.

An emergency voting decided it would be better if he was temporarily out of The Council.

“I know you’re going through a lot of stress,” Kamilah told him. “I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but I’m also not saying I am. Just, stay in New Orleans for a few days. Clear your mind a bit.”

“Not even you… my fucking twin sister!” Lysimachus punched a hole in the wall. “You’ll all regret what you’re doing, and especially _who_ you’re trusting. She’s manipulating each one of you!”

Coming back to reality, somebody was waiting for her at the door. Rheya. All those days, Kamilah was monitoring her closely. There wasn’t a single part of her that indicated danger.

“Kamilah?” She asked. “Is everything okay?”

“Absolutely,” Kamilah answered. “Personal issues. And you? Anything I can help with?”

“Actually, I’ve seen something that concerned me. I’ve been receiving threats and I believe they’re coming from the Order Of Dawn. I think they could be coming for me.”

She showed Kamilah some strange messages she received and pictures she took of strangers observing her out of the window.

“Don’t worry,” she assured. “We’ll investigate and grant you some protection.”

“Really?” Her eyes filled with tears and she started to cry. “Sometimes I think it’d be better if I returned to Europe. I never wanted to cause you trouble.”

“Rheya, no…”

Kamilah felt extremely bad for her. She quickly called Adrian and some of her Clan members to patrol the city and make sure no Order soldiers were walking around New York.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Angry, Lysimachus trained alone with a punching bag in his apartment in New Orleans. As soon as he arrived, Garrus checked his mind. Rheya’s presence was beginning to take over the place. With his Fae magic, he was able to remove it. But it was too late, everyone at The Council was convinced he was guilty.

He had to find a manner to stop Rheya by himself. She should have at least one weakness. She wasn’t invincible. Nothing could be. In nature, everything had a balance. An opposite.

“Wow,” a female voice said behind him, “someone’s mad.”

“Katherine,” he turned around, wiping off the sweat from his face with a towel. “Do you know how to kill a bitch?”

“Stake her. Or set her on fire. Assuming you’re talking about the Queen Bitch, Priya Lacroix.”

“Not actually. I’m talking about the First Vampire.”

“Is she truly real?” Her eyes went wide in surprise.

“Why do you think I’m back here?” Lysimachus told. “She caused that situation with Priya and found a manner to put everyone against me, when I discovered her identity.”

“Oh boy, you’re in serious trouble.”

“I know.”

After he showered, they walked around the streets of New Orleans while he informed her about the whole story. Since the Tree Of Eternal Life, the creation of Gaius and Xenocrates to the First Vampire’s return, using of Amy’s death.

“Why Amy?” Katherine wanted to know.

“According to this creepy British cult, she’s her descendant,” Lysimachus told. “And also a Bloodkeeper. What in my opinion, is the major sign of their connection. Their powers seem to be very similar.”

“Have you told all of that to your sister?”

He let out a chuckle.

“Who says she believes me? If Rheya asks her company, she’d probably give her everything in a second. She trusts her with her eyes closed.”

They stopped by the Graveyard Shift for a drink. Nik and Cal joined them and became part of the conversation. None of them had any ideas of what in this world could kill a legendary vampire.

“What do you think her plans are?” Nik asked. “She seems harmless so far.”

“She’s playing cautiously,” Lysimachus told. “Slowly involving and seducing everyone into her game. Soon they will bend to her will or meet a terrible fate. But her main interest… I think she wants Amy. For some purpose.”

“If she’s truly a queen,” Cal commented. “Amy would be her princess. Isn’t it obvious? She wants to share her legacy.”

“A legacy of blood and destruction,” Katherine added. “After that, she’ll probably eradicate the human kind.”

They all stared at each other in silence. None of them had a suggestion that could help.

“Let’s drink while we still can,” Nik suggested.

After he order at the bar, Ivy approached the table bringing their drinks and heard the conversation.

“Well well, a conversation about a legendary bloody creature. My favorite subject.”

“It wouldn’t be, if you met her,” Lysimachus showed them a picture of Rheya on his phone. “Ladies and gentlemen, the real face of evil. Rheya Apostolous.”

“Legendary. Bloody. And _hot_ ,” Ivy grinned.

“No wonder why your friends are getting into her so easily,” Cal joked.

“Come on, guys. Yes, she’s gorgeous. But she want all of us dead or kissing her feet. Would you mind helping me to come up with a plan? Something that could end her for good? There must be something. A balance nature created to stop her.”

Ivy was pensive for a moment before speaking:

“Meet me at the library tonight. I think I’ve got something we can do.”

“Does it involve the dead?” Lysimachus rolled his eyes, wondering how many ghosts he’d have to capture. “Or necromancy of any sorts?”

“Yes. I was thinking about… a Ouija board. But better.”

“Here we go again,” Katherine looked at him and sighed.

* * *

**Amy**

As a form to protect Rheya, Kamilah requested Amy to follow her to all places. She was more than glad to help, after all she and the Greek vampire had an immense connection.

“So, Amy. How is it going with your psychic powers?” Rheya asked while they were working out together at the private gym in her building.

“I feel great,” she smiled. “Everyday I gain more and more control over them.”

“You not only can enter people’s minds, but you can make them actually _experience_ the memories, is that correct?”

Rheya’s expression suddenly changed. She stopped with her exercises, looking sad, nostalgic.

“Yes. What’s wrong?” Confused, Amy stopped too. She lead Rheya to the nearest bench.

“Would you mind… showing me my family again? It’s been so long. Time is cruel. It has erased my husband’s voice from my memories or the scent of my little daughter’s hair. I miss them everyday and… I can’t barely remember their faces.”

“Of course.”

Amy grabbed her hands, focusing on the depths of her mind. Suddenly she could see both of them standing in an ancient throne room, where Rheya was in company of a man and a little girl.

_“At least now I have the evening free to have dinner with you and Iola,” she smiled. “My two loves.”_

_“Mama, I want to see your fangs again!” Iola asked.  
_

_“They’re nothing special…“  
_

_“They are! I want fangs like you, Mama!”  
_

_“My darling… No, Iola. These are just for me, do you understand?”_

Watching the scene, Amy couldn’t avoid feeling emotional. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. For some reason she felt attached to those people. Maybe because of the tragedy she knew that would later separate them. Or even because it made her think of her own family.

When they returned, Rheya’s eyes were teary but she had a smile on her face.

“Thank you so much, Amy,” she hugged her tightly. “It was so good to see my Iola again. Actually… you remind me a lot of her.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, since young age she was exactly like you. Adventurous, fierce and she had a great sense of humor.”

At the same time Amy felt sadness hearing those words, it also caused her unexplainable joy.

“I’m sorry she was taken from you,” Amy lamented.

“Don’t be,” Rheya touched her cheek fondly. “Sometimes life takes something away from you… but it grants you _something else_ in return. Sooner or later.”

Amy went home and showered, but the scene she experienced with Rheya wouldn’t leave her thoughts. Especially her daughter. They seemed to be so close, so affectionate to each other.

That vision triggered inside Amy an intense desire of having a family on her own too. She imagined having a daughter with Kamilah. She’d give her little girl everything her mother didn’t provide her while growing up. She not only would be her parent, but her best friend. They’d share good memories and start adventures together.

She texted Kamilah, asking her to go home as soon as possible. After lunch she was impatiently waiting for her wife. As Amy sat down on the couch, their kitten, Beruthiel, quickly jumped on her lap.

In the first days, Kamilah was reluctant about getting attached to their new pet, considering how short their life-span could be compared to theirs. Now, everyday she’d come home with a new gift for Beruthiel. She was literally treating her like a princess.

They could form a beautiful little family. She, Kamilah, their cat and a baby.

“Hey,” her wife entered the penthouse, “is everything okay? You said you needed to see me.”

“Yes,” Amy wrapped her arms around Kamilah’s neck. “I’ve scheduled a visit to Raines Corporation. You know, only to check how his research is progressing.”

“Oh, what research?”

“The one we can have a baby.”

“ _Only to check_ , huh?” Kamilah’s raised eyebrow suggested she already knew what Amy had in mind.

“And get informed on how it would work.”

“Amy…” Kamilah sighed. “I’m okay with adopting a cat but… we’re not in a good moment to consider having children.”

“Why?” Amy wanted to know. “We’re married, with a stable life, I’ve got perfect control of my powers. I see no reason to postpone it.”

“She’s out there. The First Vampire.”

“Kamilah, please… I even stopped having those creepy visions. She’s gone for good.”

“She’s not,” Kamilah’s expression was serious and certain. “I sensed her presence the other day. She could be the one who manipulated Priya’s mind and yours. And besides, there’s also the possibility the Order soldiers could be out there, getting ready to strike.”

“So…” Amy threw herself on the couch, biting her lower lip. “Didn’t you have to discuss this Order issues with Adrian? I could come with you.”

Kamilah stared at her in silence again. Her face suggested she wasn’t thrilled about the idea.

“It’s not the right moment, Amy. It’s not like we’re buying a new video game, it’s a life we’re talking about. I’m not bringing a child to this world, knowing they could be in danger.”

“It will never be good moment right? I mean, you said countless times you never wanted to be a mother and that you can’t stand children.”

Amy stood up from the couch, storming to the front door. She knew it was only another excuse. Kamilah would never give her what she wanted the most. She felt extremely upset and frustrated.

“Amy…” Kamilah interrupted her. “Can we talk about this?”

“No,” she responded, coldly and ironic. “ _It’s not the right moment_.”

Alone, she took her car and drove directly to Raines Corporation. If Kamilah didn’t want to be part of this decision, she’d do it by herself. And in the end, if she still couldn’t accept it… maybe she didn’t love her as much as she thought.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

After midnight, Lysimachus and Katherine followed to Ivy’s library. Trusting her was never the smartest or safest idea, but it was the only option he had at the moment.

The library was completely dark, until the very end of the building, where Ivy had prepared a magical seal on the floor, surrounded by candles.

“For heaven’s sake, what is that?” Katherine asked. “Please tell me you’re not planning to take him to the Realm of Death.”

“I considered it,” Ivy said. “But it was too risky, especially because he’s… _biologically dead_? So I decided to bring the dead to our world instead.”

“Wait,” Lysimachus interrupted. “Who are you planning to summon from the dead?

“The Two Sons. Xenocrates and Gaius.”

Only that name alone brought shivers to Lysimachus body. He hated that man with every fiber of his body being. If one thing he was sure, was that he never wanted to see Gaius again. Not even in spirit.

“Bring Xenocrates. Let Gaius trapped in hell, where it’s his place.”

“Okay, I’ll need to perform a ritual. Mind giving me some privacy?”

“Of course.”

Lysimachus walked to an armchair where he sat down. Katherine followed him. He buried his head in his hands, wondering what could even happen if that ritual went wrong and for some reason Gaius escaped the Realm Of Death and returned to life. By the side of his beloved Goddess, they’d rule the world, exterminating the human kind.

“Hey,” Katherine touched his shoulder, “what’s wrong? You’re shaking.”

“Gaius,” he confessed. “Only the mention of his name it… it drives me crazy. Have you ever hated someone so badly it consumes you, changes you?”

“Yeah, not someone. _Something_. A monster.”

“He Turned me, against my will. Besides keeping me separated from my sister from centuries. I can help thinking everything he caused in her life was a revenge against me. Even if he’s dead… the part of me he took away is never returning.”

“I can relate. That monster… it took the most precious thing I’ve ever had. And I will never be the same again. Even if I try. Part of me also died that day.”

“Katherine…” Lysimachus looked into her eyes. For the first time she looked open, vulnerable. “You never told me…”

“I usually don’t,” Katherine shrugged, fighting off her emotions. “I think I’m really starting to trust you.”

“Well, that’s a good thing.”

“Not for me.”

They both shared a laugh, when Ivy’s voice called them back. It was time to summon Xenocrates’ spirit. Ivy was voicing some words in an ancient language when the flames from the candles exploded and intensified, almost blinding them with the light.

As Lysimachus opened his eyes again, Xenocrates’ form was standing in the middle of the seal.

“What did you call me here for?” He snarled. "A man can’t even be dead, without being bothered by _abominations_ like _you_?“

"We need answers,” Lysimachus approached. “About Rheya. You were her First Son, you must know how to end her for good.”

“And why do you think I’d help you? Especially, when you were all responsible for setting her free.”

“They didn’t,” Katherine intervened. “They didn’t set her free. They were only studying the blood, for good purposes.”

“It had nothing to do with the blood. It was… _something else_.”

“What was it?” Lysimachus asked, intrigued. “We didn’t know. And now, she has started to cause trouble. I need to stop her before the damage spreads.”

“I don’t know what brought Rheya back, otherwise I’d have prevented it,” Xenocrates told. “But if you want to stop her you’ll need to go after her husband, Demetrius. His blood is the only thing that can stop her.”

“Isn’t he dead?”

“Sort of. Rheya attempted to Turn him when he was murdered but it was too late. Her blood transformed him into something dark, without a conscience. A monster.”

“The First Feral,” Katherine concluded.

“His presence brought death to everything around him, including Rheya herself,” Xenocrates continued. “She was weakened by his darkness. So she sent him away.”

“And where is he now?” Lysimachus wanted to know.

“In the Island of Death, somewhere in South Pacific.”

“I’ll find him.”

“You will,” Xenocrates let out a sarcastic laugh. “But you won’t make it back home. The Island will drain all your life before you even get to him.”

“So what do I have to do?”

“My time here is over.”

“No! Wait!”

A strong wind filled the room, lighting off all the candles and the First Son disappeared.

“So what do we do now?” Katherine wondered. “How will we get to the Island?”

“I don’t know,” Lysimachus sighed, frustrated. “He said it drains the life of any living being that approaches it.”

“But he didn’t say anything about a _undead_ being, did he?” Ivy suggested.

* * *

**Kamilah**

In the beginning of the night, Kamilah went to Raines Corporation to meet Adrian and find out if he had any news about a possible invasion of the Order Of Dawn in New York. Amy wasn’t picking up her calls, but she found out she was at the Shadow Den with Lily. Apparently they invited Rheya for a girl’s night.

“Please, tell me she didn’t convince you to impregnate her,” Kamilah took a sip of the whiskey Adrian served her. “I know her, Adrian. She does that puppy dog eyes that make you unable to say no.”

“She didn’t,” Adrian let out a small laugh. “I showed her the research, but explained it’s still a work in progress. And I’d need your DNA too.”

“Good. How would it work anyways?”

“It’s a serum. First, you _both_ must sign a contract. I’ll mix Amy’s DNA to yours and add the blood from the Tree. The three elements together will generate a new life. A new being.”

“Just like that?”

“Not really,” Adrian explained. “After I inject it on Amy’s body or yours, you will have to… _conceive_ the baby, if you know what I mean. Like a regular pregnancy.”

“I see.”

Kamilah swallowed the entire glass of whiskey in one sip, trying to get rid of the stress the thought of being a mother caused her.

“What’s the deal, Kamilah?” Adrian asked, noticing her silence.

“I’m not ready, Adrian,” Kamilah sighed and confessed. “And I don’t think I’ll ever be! I’m 2065 years old. I’ve killed people and burned cities to the ground. How can I become a mother? How am I supposed to raise a child?”

“We’re never ready, but when the moment comes, it’s just magical. You’ll learn to be a mom, Kamilah. Together with Amy.”

She noticed how distant and nostalgic Adrian looked after that talk. It probably reminded him of his son, Charles.

“We’ve adopted a cat recently,” Kamilah changed the subject. “Her name is…”

She couldn’t get used to that name. Something Amy and Lily picked out from one of their geeky obsessions.

“ _Beruthiel_. I heard about her,” a smile returned to Adrian’s face. “I was also told you’ve been using your penthouse security system to observe her when you’re absent. And that you’ve bought her like 10 different collars in a week.”

She only rolled her eyes in response and walked to the window. Kamilah started remembering Amy’s behavior that afternoon. _‘No. It’s not the right moment’_. Those words were said with the same coldness and rage as when she was under the First Vampire’s influence, before her Turning. She was about to express her concerns about her dark presence inhabiting Amy’s body, when the emergency alarm of Raines Corporartion started echoing through the entire building.

“What is that?” Kamilah asked, confused.

“I don’t know,” Adrian ran to his computer. “But it doesn’t sound good.”

From the security cameras, they observed as a small group dressed in white marched into the building, inspecting every corner. Searching for something specific. Their clothes and weapons had a military look, like they were soldiers of some kind. Kamilah recognized immediately who they were.

“The Order Of Dawn,” she concluded. “What do we do?”

“I don’t know,” Adrian was completely enraged. “But I won’t be standing here and watch them kill my employees.”

Kamilah followed him outside the office, with her daggers in hand. The Order Of Dawn was known for their skilled and ruthless hunters, who would kill everyone that stood in the way of their mission, humans or vampires.

“They’re at the labs,” Adrian whispered, watching the security cameras from his cell phone. “They’re… torturing them.”

Kamilah glanced at the screen, observing the soldiers holding a blade against one of the scientists’ neck. Adrian hands were shaking in anger. His eyes were dark and distant. She knew it was useless to try to calm him down at this stage.

“Look,” Kamilah pointed. “Two of them are guarding the main hall. We can ambush them and steal their outfits. It’ll make it easier for us to get the rest of them.”

“Good plan.”

They followed to the main hall through the emergency staircase, avoiding to make any noise. Arriving at the company’s entrance, they waited for the right moment to strike. Moving silent and stealth, Kamilah took down one guard while Adrian took the other.

After wearing their uniforms, Adrian checked the cameras one last time. They weren’t in a large group, only 7 soldiers, he counted. He and Kamilah proceeded with their plan, entering the laboratories disguised as members of the Order Of Dawn.

“What are you two doing here?” One of them asked, as he saw them. “You were supposed to guard the door. Raines could be arriving at any minute.”

“He won’t, Kamilah told, approaching the group, ready to draw her daggers.

"How can you be so sure?!”

“Because…” Adrian grabbed the soldier’s neck, breaking it instantly. “He’s right _here_.”

The remaining soldiers pulled their weapons and circled them.

“There’s six now,” Kamilah looked at Adrian. “Three for each?”

He nodded in agreement.

Kamilah’s soldiers attacked her with their UV flashlights. She looked at them for a second, before rolling her eyes.

“It seems like you haven’t received the latest updates,” she threw one of her daggers right into a soldier’s chest. “UV light doesn’t do a damn thing on me!”

Using her advanced speed, Kamilah dodged their crossbows and retrieved back her dagger. From behind, she stabbed both of them at the same time. She looked at Adrian, holding in his hands the hearts of two of his soldiers, while chasing the last of them. Kamilah streaked in his direction, daggers in hands, going straight for his neck.

“It’s over,” she said as he dropped dead on the floor.

After checking his employees, Adrian offered Kamilah drank some stored blood to recover strength and heal any minor injuries.

Kamilah’s cell phone started ringing. It was Priya.

“ _I know you hate me. But sending the Order Of Dawn to my club was a slut move, Kamilah!_ ”

“What? Are they in there too?” She shared a concerned look with Adrian.

“ _Of course…_ ” by the sound, Priya stopped to shoot the soldiers with a gun. “ _Otherwise, why would I even call you?_ ”

“I… I’ll send some reinforcement.”

“ _Those were one of my favorite shoes!_ ” The fashion designer yelled. Panicked screams were heard in the background.

“Priya?!”

“ _There’s no need, I think I killed all of them. Wait…_ ” she fired the gun again. “ _Yes, now I did._ ”

Adrian was also on his phone. The Order also attacked Lester’s business. With the help of his Clan, he managed to get rid of them.

“Leave one of them alive,” Adrian ordered. “Bring him for an interrogation tomorrow.”

He hung up. Both of their phones buzzed at the same time with texts from several vampires of Jax’s clan. The Shadow Den was under attack, by the largest group of soldiers seem in New York so far.

“Oh no.”

“We have to go,” Kamilah rushed, headed to her car. “Amy is in danger.”

* * *

**Amy**

“ _Another_ fight?!” Lily questioned, while Amy finished putting on some make-up. Rheya would arrive soon and they’d introduce her to the life in the Shadow Den. “And because you want to have _children_?!”

“Yes,” Amy answered. “I just feel ready for the next step. I want to start a family with Kamilah.”

“Amy, I’m sorry but it doesn’t sound like you. I mean, you guys have been married for only a year. A _lot_ can change.”

“What are you suggesting? Nothing is changing between us.”

“You’re a vampire now,” Lily told. “There’s so much you may want to experience. You’ll have the eternity to be a mother.”

“Being married to Kamilah, I’ve already experienced a lot,” Amy argued. “We’ve traveled to so many places, she introduced me to a lot of new things, we’ve grown up as couple… it seems like the right moment.”

“Well, that’s your decision to make. But make sure you’re not using it only to mask your past traumas.”

Amy _did_ have a family-related trauma. She always felt abandoned, rejected by her mom. Ofter she’d seek for affection in her friend’s families. The conflicts between them only got worse when she became a teenager. In many occasions, she made her mom cry. Which was enough for her to decided the should follow different paths.

Now she had built her own life away from her hometown. She had a great job, a loving wife and she finally got answers about her mother’s behavior and her origins. In truth, she was starting to understand and even forgive her.

Having a baby with Kamilah had little to do with that. Part of her didn’t want children before because she wasn’t sure she’d be able to be a good mother, based on her own experiences. Now she wanted to break that cycle. She wanted to fix things with her mom, and at the same time, have the motherhood experience herself.

“Hello,” for some reason Rheya was already standing in the living room. “You didn’t hear me knocking, the door was opened so I entered. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”

“Not at all!” Amy smiled, dismissing her thoughts. “We were waiting for you. By the way, that’s Lily. My best friend.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Lily extended her hand. “ _Very_ nice.”

“It’s my pleasure, darling. Amy talks about you all the time.”

Amy checked her watch. It was almost time for Liv’s new show to start. Both of her friends had engaged in a conversation. Lily seemed to be nervous around Rheya, panicking and stuttering. She shook her head in denial.

“Hey, you two,” she called. “Let’s go!”

First, they gave Rheya a tour of the Shadow Den. She was impressed by the place, checking all the stores and attractions the community had to offer.

“This place is amazing. A mass of vampires, rejected by The Council, build all of this? Without any support?”

“They did,” Lily told. “We made some improvements and redesigned after we were recognized as a Clan by The Council.”

“And there…” Amy pointed to the male vampire coming in their direction, “is the man behind most of it, Jax Matsuo.”

“Hey,” Jax joined them, briefly nodding at Rheya. “What are you girls up to?”

“We’re headed to Liv’s new show, but before we’re showing Rheya around.”

“Rheya, huh? I remember seeing you at the Tribunal. You saved Priya’s ass.”

“Jax,” Rheya looked deeply into his eyes and grabbed one of his hands. “Your bravery, your strength is like no other. Building this place, protecting your people, fighting for your rights… it’s inspiring. You have my admiration.”

“Whoa,” Jax’s cheeks turned a little pink. “Thank you, but I had help of my Clan members. We were all part of this.”

“I… I…” Lily made some effort to insert herself in the conversation. “I created the Fangbook. A social network for vampires.”

Rheya grinned and grabbed her hand too.

“This is also amazing, darling. An online gathering of all vampires in the world. Your knowledge can serve for greater purposes. You can achieve great things. Never doubt your potential.”

“T-Thank you.”

Amy laughed and patted her best friend’s shoulder.

Together they followed to Liv’s cabaret, finding their reserved seats in the front row. That was the debut of a show she long planned, back when she still a mortal. She looked unusually happy that night.

“This place is crowded,” Amy told Jax, before the lights went out.

“I know, right?” He said. “It’s good to finally see a smile on her face.”

A dancing number started on the stage, Amy was very focused. The music was hypnotizing. She and Lily started to move their bodies in sync to the rhythm.

“Come on, Jax,” Amy shouted. “Join us.”

“In a moment,” he looked serious at his cell phone screen. “There’s something wrong in the tunnels.”

Jax didn’t have any time to leave, as soon as he got up a group of soldiers dressed in white burst through the doors. Amy recognized them from Greece.

“The Order Of Dawn.”

“Everyone take cover!” Jax yelled, as they started to aim and shoot their crossbows at the vampires in the cabaret.

Amy stood frozen in the middle of the commotion, her eyes registering the scene all around her. Vampires attempted to run, or even to protect themselves, only to suffer cruel and painful deaths. There was a lot of screaming and crying, while the Order Of Dawn chanted:

” _The Order does not yield. The Order does not sleep. The Order shows no mercy… and leaves no survivors._ ”

She tried to locate Rheya and Lily but they were nowhere to be seen. A tightness on her chest started to suffocate her.

“Amy!” Jax pulled her out of the way, to prevent an attack with UV light. Considering the desperation of the moment, he probably had forgotten it didn’t affect her.

“Jax,” she returned to her conscience. However, when she looked at the male vampire on the ground he wasn’t moving. His chest had a big burning wound. Tears stated to fill her eyes as she touched it. No vampire would survive an injury of that extent. “Jax, please…”

“Die,” an Order soldier appeared in front of her, with a crossbow aimed to her chest. She fired. Amy stopped the stake midway with her psychic powers.

Looking around, she could see piles of ash all around the club, along with severely hurt vampires, struggling to stay alive. Rage started to consume her. She felt her eyes burning in pure anger.

With a grin on her face, she sent the stake back in the soldier’s direction. Hitting her right in the middle of her eyes.

“What is that?” A group of soldiers came in her direction, as their member’s lifeless body fell on the ground.

Amy could feel their hearts beating. The blood flowing inside their veins. They had no idea what she could do. They had no idea of what she could become. She had the urge to kill them. All of them. She focused, gathering all her power.

“Kill her,” their leader ordered. She jerked her hand, sending all of them flying. The heavy impact against the wall crushed every bone inside their fragile human bodies.

More soldiers came in her direction. She leaped forward. With fangs drawn, she went directly to their throats. Her hands also fought, tearing into some soldiers’ chests and ripping off their hearts.

“Monster! Monster!” They started to retreat and runaway scared.

Amy couldn’t let them get away. Not after what they had done. They deserved no second chances. Only death. By the time they reached the door, she appeared in front of them.

“Leave… no… survivors!” She yelled, mocking their chant. Her hands were engulfed by fire and she send blasts in their direction. She stood and watched while it consumed their bodies.

As they silenced, she closed her eyes. She could sense a couple of human heartbeats coming from behind the bar. Taking Jax’s katana, she slowly walked to them. They barely had any time to scream. The blood spraying from their slit throats soaked her skin and her clothes. She fed herself some of it, before going back to Jax unconscious body.

She kneeled right beside him, placing her hands over the wound. And that’s the last thing she did, before collapsing in exhaustion.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Sequel to the fics For You, In The Daylight and Without You. You can read all of them here.  
> \- I worked really hard on this chapter during these days I had no internet access. I even planned to make an interactive thing for the tablet scene, but it didn't really work here or on Tumblr.   
> \- I also did my best with the Tarot scene, picking cards that had meanings related to the past/present/future of the characters. My bad if there's any inaccuracies, it's not really my area of expertise! 😂  
> \- I'm very sorry for taking so long. Besides the family issues I previously mentioned, I also had trouble with my internet service.  
> \- Still missing BB hours 😢❤

**Kamilah**

Standing paralyzed by the door of Liv’s cabaret, Kamilah observed cautiously the scene in front of her. The floor was covered in ashes of many vampires that didn’t survive the attack, mixed to human blood. A large amount of blood, that belonged to a group of around thirty soldiers, slaughtered in different manners, she noticed when she approached the bodies. Some of them had their hearts ripped off or their throats slit open. Others were killed by the heavy impact against the wall, caused by a strong psychic force. And a few, burned to death.

They only had one thing in common. Amy caused all their deaths.

“Her eyes…” Matsuo told Adrian, still in shock by the occurrences of that night, “they were _glowing_!”

“Like mine when I fought Vega?” Adrian furrowed his brows intrigued.

“Exactly. She… she wasn’t herself.”

Kamilah knew it. Though she couldn’t blame her wife’s actions against the Order Of Dawn, the way Jax and other Shadow Den residents described her behavior, made Amy sound like a completely different person. A person capable of the most violent atrocities. Cold, evil and ruthless.

No one had seem Amy ever since. Nobody saw as she left the place or had any clues about where she could have gone to.

“It’s not like they didn’t deserve it,” Adrian walked to where Kamilah was standing. “If Amy hadn’t stopped them, all vampires would be dead.”

“I know,” Kamilah nodded. More than any of them, she was familiar with the Order’s actions. “What scares me is not her primary reaction of protecting herself and the others. What _truly_ scares me is the level of brutality it was done. It doesn’t match Amy’s character.”

“Jax said her eyes were glowing.”

“Adrian, I fear the evil within her Serafine saw is finally unleashing and taking control of her.”

“It’s possible. When I fought Vega, I wasn’t myself. I… I was capable of,” Adrian glanced at the bodies, “ _anything_.”

Not so long later, Lily entered the place in a hurry.

“Guys,” she told, struggling to breath. “When I noticed Amy wasn’t anywhere… I-I… I returned. She killed them. _All of them_.”

“Jax told us,” Kamilah informed her.

“This isn’t the scariest part. That woman, Rheya, she was also here. She watched the whole massacre with a proud grin on her face. And she… she was floating, with her arms open, like if she was absorbing all those lives as they left their bodies.”

“Are you sure?!” Adrian asked.

“Wait,” Jax joined the conversation. “Now you mentioned, I remembered. She healed me. I was dying from an UV light burn and Rheya saved me. She imposed her hands above the wound, making it disappear.”

Kamilah walked away from them in silence. She remembered Lysimachus panic, attempting to convince her that Rheya was the First Vampire. If all of that was true, her brother was right. That woman had been playing all of them as her puppets for the last few weeks. The Order attack, as well as the situations with Priya and Lysimachus, certainly had her involvement.

She told the group goodbye and returned to their penthouse. It had no signs of Amy’s presence. Then, Kamilah went to her brother’s apartment, to search for the information he collected.

She checked his home office, looking inside every secret drawer, every shelf and even in a hidden safe on the wall. Such important data should be in somewhere even more secured, where the access was limited to Lysimachus himself or someone with a very similar DNA.

Kamilah made a small cut on her palm and pressed the blood against the device on the wall. She sighed relieved when it turned green, unlocking her brother’s secret weapon storage.

And there was it, on a tablet. All his theories and information he gathered about Rheya, Amy and their connection.

> **Know more about…**

> **> Rheya Apostolous**

> **> Amy Sayeed**

> **> The First Vampire**

> **> Bloodkeepers**

Kamilah first tapped the name of her employee, reading the entry Lysimachus wrote about her.

> _“ **The First shall walk again…**_

> _Rheya Apostolous arrived in New York City on April 20, only a couple of weeks after Amy Sayeed was Turned. For Kamilah, she played the most skilled candidate to the job as Marketing Director. For me, she tried to present herself as a viable candidate to a Brand._

> _Strange occurrances happened since her arrival, such as my own behavior at the night of Amy’s debut party and the manipulation of Priya Lacroix’s mind._

> _After speaking to her on the phone last night, I concluded her voice matches the one from my visions._

> _Rheya admitted her real identity when I confronted her._

> _Her powers include mind-reading, accessing and manipulating memories and telekinesis.”_

In every mentioned occasion, strange things happened and Rheya was always around. At the debut party, none of them were at their best behavior. Kamilah and Amy were both stressed and tense, fighting several times that night. Lysimachus became so drunk he felt compelled to participate a small orgy in Priya’s room. Lily flirted with Kamilah when they were alone, what she hid from Amy to prevent it from ruining their friendship. Serafine started acting weird after that night, not answering any phone calls. Kamilah remembered her long-time obsession with the First Vampire, wondering if they could be working together.

There was also the cocktail Rheya threw for her, in the same night as Priya’s party. Her mysterious presence at the Tribunal. The set up against Lysimachus. And now, the Order attack.

Kamilah tapped her wife’s name next.

> _“ **When the sap of the tree rests in the blessed chalice…**_

> _Amy Sayeed was Turned under strange circumstances. After, seeing a woman standing in the middle of the road, she and my sister, Kamilah Sayeed were involved in a serious car accident. Amy didn’t feel the effects of a hemorrhagic brain injury until the moment of her death._

> _She has been having visions about the First Vampire since her involvement with the vampire community, and visions of an obscure form of herself, since her Turning._

> _Amy was also known as "The Chosen One” by the Keaseth Cult in London, that believed her death would bring their Goddess back to life due to their connection by genealogy._

> _Serafine Dupont has called her “Bloodkeeper” and reported to have seen a darkness within her._

> _Her powers are unusual for a newly-Turned vampire, including telekinesis, mind-reading, accessing memories and telepathy.“_

Kamilah fought hard to admit her wife was no regular vampire. She shared her concerns with Adrian, who thought it was caused by her Bloodkeeper nature. Her abilities were very similar to Rheya’s.

Tapping Bloodkeepers section, she expected to find more answers.

> _” **Blood calls to blood… flesh draws to flesh…**_

> _According to Scholar Jameson’s reports, the Bloodkeepers are the secondary line that descended from the Tree Of Eternal Life. No one knows how they were generated, but it’s speculated that the First Vampire’s biological child is their first ancestor._

> _Passed from generation to generation, they can access memories of every vampire that ever walked the Earth. Daughters can inherit the Bloodkeeper trait from their mothers.“_

The last tab, about the First Vampire, told information Kamilah already knew.

> _” **Every step you take brings you closer to me, to reunification, to rebirth…**_

> _Reported to have lived in Mydiea, Greece by the 8th century B.C. Became the First Vampire after drinking from the Tree Of Eternal Life. Turned two servants for advice and protection, Xenocrates (alias Erik Balthazar) and Gaius Augustine. Created a legacy of bloodshed and war._

> _Being stopped by Xenocrates, the First Son, the First Vampire was trapped inside the Tree Of Eternal Life for over two millennia._

> _The Keaseth Cult in London reported the First Vampire to have biological child/children. Her most recent descendant is Amy Sayeed.“_

Everything made sense now. Lysimachus had been right all the time and Kamilah couldn’t believe him before. She was under Rheya’s influence like a magic spell, trusting in every word she said. She called him and again it went to the voice mail.

"Stubborn as always,” Kamilah complained.

She called Amy’s cell phone next and the voice by the other side of the line send shivers down her spine.

_“Kamilah, hi. It’s Rheya. I brought Amy to my place, after the Order’s attack. She was very exhausted.”_

“Rheya,” Kamilah kept her voice firm and confident. That evil bitch would detect any hints of nervousness and use it against her. “Thank you, I was so worried. Listen, I’ll be there in a minute to pick her up.”

_“Oh darling, she’s still asleep. After she wakes up, I’ll tell her you called.”_

“Okay.”

After she hung up, Kamilah collapsed on a chair. Was Amy alright? What if darkness had consumed her to the point she didn’t want to come home?

* * *

**Amy**

Though she had slept for hours, when Amy woke up her body was was still sore and exhausted.

Sitting down on the bed, she finally remembered the events from the previous night. The Order Of Dawn’s attack at the Shadow Den, Jax getting severely injured to protect her and… her reaction. A great source of power emerged from the depths of her soul. Her body was burning like the sun. Her rage made the entire Shadow Den shake, like an earthquake.

And she took their lives. All of them.

 _“What…”_ she looked at her hands. _“How?!”_

This time, she didn’t feel any guilt, any regret. If she hadn’t stopped those soldiers, they’d have murdered every vampire they found.

 _“Lily, Jax…”_ she had no idea if they were fine. _“And Rheya.”_

Examining her surroundings, Amy had no idea where she was. That was definitely not her bedroom. Or Lily’s.

She was still covered in blood. However, fresh new clothes were left on the bed for her to shower and change.

After taking a long shower, Amy left the room silent and undetected, afraid to even know where she was, or who she could find. For her surprise, she immediately recognized the living room, and the woman sitting on the couch waiting for her.

“Amy, darling,” Rheya dropped her phone when she saw her. “I was beginning to get worried.”

“Yeah, I slept a little too much,” Amy scratched her head, wondering what the hell she was doing at Rheya’s apartment.

“Sit down. It’s time for us to have a conversation.”

 _“Oh fuck,”_ Amy thought. She probably witnessed the whole fight. How she would even explain those powers? “Hey, can we talk later? Kamilah must be seriously worried. I should go home.”

“It won’t take long,” Rheya insisted, tapping on the spot next to hers on the couch. “I even ordered some lunch for us.”

“Okay…”

Shy and uncomfortable, Amy sat down by her side. Rheya looked at her directly in the eyes. A smile never leaving her lips. She suddenly remembered what happened before she collapsed in exhaustion. Jax was dying right in front of her. Nothing she did was able to help him. But Rheya… she kneeled by his side, energy irradiated from her hands and… she _healed_ him.

“You healed Jax last night. How did you even do that? I mean, no vampires are capable of such a thing. Is it something the Order did to you too?”

“Amy, I beg your pardon but I’ve been lying. About who I am. About who _you_ are.”

“Excuse me?!” Amy was suddenly back on defensive mode. If she was actually working for the Order and kidnapped her, she was ready to fight for her life. “Are you w…”

“The First Vampire,” Rheya answered before she even finished.

A lot came to Amy’s mind in that moment. Her visions, her voice, their previous encounter in the Realm Of Death. Only now she realized Rheya looked a lot like the woman she saw on the road and then in the mirror. She was also very similar to the figures she saw at Mrs. Wright office in London.

“Y-You…” she stood up, trying to gather her powers but she was still weak. “You killed me. You lied to me. You pretended to be my friend. Why, Rheya? _Why_?”

“Darling, this isn’t what you think,” the woman stood up too. She was a lot taller than Amy. Only now she realized how intimidating she could be. “I only gave you what you desired the most. Didn’t you desire to be a vampire? To have immortality and a goddess’ strength?”

She caressed the girl’s cheek.

Indeed. Since Amy started dating Kamilah, she started considering that option. She wanted more than a few decades by her wife’s side, she wanted the eternity. She was also tired of being a burden to her friends, so frail and weak.

“It was still _my_ choice! And you only did this so you could come back to life.”

“Amy, if it wasn’t me somebody else would have done it. That’s what happens when you enter the vampire world, it’s impossible to come out alive or remain a mortal.”

“And what gives you this right, huh?” Amy’s eyes filled with tears. “To change my life and then approach me, lie to me…”

“I’m your grandmother,” Rheya entwined her fingers on Amy’s hair. “You descend from my daughter, Iola.”

“You told me Iola had died!”

“I only found out recently. My enemies captured and took her from me. I never had a chance of seeing her growing up but now… I have you.”

That was getting extremely creepy. Amy had to find a way out of there. She reached for her purse, discreetly searching for her cell phone, but then she saw it on the coffee table, near Rheya’s.

“Okay…” she sighed. “I hope you’re not responsible for what happened tonight. Or what happened to Priya.”

“Darling, I’d never do anything to cause you harm,” that smile appeared on her face again. A smile Amy was starting to fear. “Trust me, I only want the best for you.”

“And what do you want, Rheya? Why are you here in first place?”

“I want to build a better world for vampires. A world where we can live in peace among the humans. I want to rule with honesty and justice. I saw what Gaius and Xenocrates did, their twisted ideals. I can’t help feeling guilty for that. But now it’s about to change.”

Amy wasn’t sure if she believed her or not. Her voice was soothing and soft, involving her, calling for her. But at the same time, she remembered her face on the road. Covered in blood, she had a maniac grin on her face.

“Amy,” she whispered her name again, “will you help me, granddaughter? Will you be my right hand?”

And for some reason she couldn’t say no.

“I will,” Amy answered, already regretting her decision.

“Great! To celebrate the new times and our partnership, I prepared us a special lunch.”

She guided Amy to another room. It was not the regular Sunday lunch at Granny’s house she was used to, back in her hometown. There was no table. There was no feast or a tasty dessert. Only two mortals on the floor, gagged and trapped by ropes.

“Rheya… what the fuck?!”

“You used too much of your powers last night, granddaughter. You must feed to feel restored.”

“I fed from the Order soldiers,” Amy lied. Too much time had passed. That wasn’t enough to satiate her hunger or restore her strength. “Besides, here in New York we only feed from consenting humans. Killing innocents is against the Pact.”

“There’s no more Pact, Amy,” Rheya insisted. “Not in the world we will build together. And who told you they’re innocents? Take a look inside their minds.”

Against her better judgment, Amy did as she told. She looked into those mortals’ eyes. A boy and a girl, shaking in fear. Soon, she was already deep into their memories. That boy, appearing so frightened and weak, allured and drugged girls before taking them to bed. That girl, sobbing in desperation and trying to free herself, sent her ex-girlfriend to jail. Leaving her alone, scared and at her own fate, like she was right now.

“Go, Amy,” Rheya touched her shoulder and leaned close to her ear. “Don’t fight it, embrace the blood. Embrace the power.”

Conflicted, Amy could hear their heartbeats, the blood running in their veins. She was starving. She was weak. She _needed_ blood. She _truly_ needed it. Like a flash, Rheya moved forward attacking the girl’s neck. Upon that tempting smell, Amy couldn’t control it anymore. With red eyes and fangs exposed, she joined her grandmother for lunch.

After that, she was finally free to go. She ran across the streets of New York, feeling sick about what just happened. Feeling horrible about what she had done. Yet, another part of her felt satisfied, accomplished.

She entered her penthouse, searching for Kamilah. She wasn’t there, yet she could sense she was near. Taking the elevator, Amy went to Lysimachus’ apartment and there was her wife, leaving the weapon storage.

“Kamilah…”

“Amy,” she stood frozen in the living room, with a look on her face Amy had never seen before. A look of pure fear.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Going to a placed named _Island Of Death_ could never sound like a good idea. Even in the company of a supernatural group that included a vampire, a werewolf, a stone troll, a Fae and an undead, plus the two mortal Nighthunters. All of them were blessed with a protection barrier made by Lady Thalissa, the leader of the Fae Realm. The protection wouldn’t last for too long they needed to be quick, or all their lives would be in danger. Especially Katherine and Nik’s, the two mortals aboard the private boat Lysimachus bought for the occasion.

“If Ivy asks one more time if we are there yet, I’m going to cut my wrists,” Katherine entered the pilot’s cabin, throwing herself on a chair next to Lysimachus’.

“Almost,” he told. “According to the map, in half an hour we should be there.”

“Really, did you have to be such a rich boy even when we’re going to this eerie Island inhabited by Ferals? Was that luxurious boat really necessary?”

“Oh right, I should’ve asked if we could use _yours_.”

Displeased by the comment, Katherine blushed and looked away.

“Someday you should allow yourself to enjoy a little bit of your wealth, you know?” Lysimachus advised, still focused on the ocean ahead. “Your time is short. You should make the most of it.”

“Thanks for reminding me my days are numbered. I appreciate that,” Katherine replied, sarcastic. After a moment of silence, she spoke again. “I may. After we defeat this ancient bitch of yours. I don’t want to end up like her, wanting to destroy the world out of frustration for spending two millennia trapped inside a tree.”

Lysimachus let out a laugh. Rheya had deeper motivations than that. If his theories were correct, she blamed the humankind for losing her family. Amy was still a missing piece of that puzzle. He couldn’t figure out where she fit on Rheya’s revenge plan.

Not so long later, he finally spotted the Island in front of them.

“We’re close now,” he pointed. “I suppose everyone is prepared.”

“Yeah,” Katherine said. “I mean, I suppose none of them is pissing on their pants yet, but you know… Ryder has his moments.”

Near the shore, the entire group prepared themselves to leave the ship. They only had one hour until the protection disappeared. Lysimachus got his daggers and a map.

“Okay,” he gave the group the instructions. “Everyone stay close and be careful. This place is inhabited by Ferals. They’re everywhere, on the land and in the air.”

They proceeded, entering the woods. So far, it was quiet. Too quiet. The Ferals should be hiding from the daylight, but it didn’t mean they couldn’t show up at any moment, in areas where the trees protected them from the sun.

“According to this ancient map, the Tree Of Death should be in the middle of the Island.”

“What about the man?” Ivy asked. “Demetrius.”

“Apparently he lives inside the tree.”

“Why does everyone in their family dies and become a tree?”

“I wasn’t aware that vampires were so concerned about saving the environment,” Cal joked. “They die and a new tree is planted.”

“What does killing them make me then, a conservationist?” Katherine added.

“You guys!” Lysimachus scolded. “Focus.”

All that noise attracted attention. Unwanted attention. Hissing and screeching from the nearby Ferals started echoing around the forest. The entire group drew their weapons or prepared their magic.

Soon, they were surrounded by the creatures. Not regular Ferals as seen in New York or New Orleans, but different kinds, more evolved and adapted to the life at the Island.

“How does a thing can be so ugly?” Lysimachus asked, while in combat with a Feral with multiple pairs of arms. “And fast!”

“It’s a _Spiderferal_ ,” Ivy said. “And that one soaring in the skies is…”

“Let me guess,” Nik interrupted, firing some arrows with his crossbow. “A _Batferal_?”

“For god’s sake,” Katherine rolled her eyes, while slashing through a couple of Ferals with her Sai.

When that huge wave of creatures were gone, Lysimachus looked down at his watch, noticing they didn’t have much time left. Less than twenty minutes.

“Guys,” he started running. “Stay here. I’ll find the tree and get the blood.”

Dodging any Ferals that tried to prevent him from making to the tree, Lysimachus could feel its darkness starting to weight on his body as he moved closer. Even with a protection spell, he began to feel weak, drained. He stopped and tried to catch his breath, but as that highly toxic air started to fill his lungs, he coughed.

The Tree Of Death was right in front of him. Lysimachus pulled one of his daggers to stab its trunk, when he got pulled into a void.

“What…” he looked around, trying to figure out what was going on. “Where am I?”

“There’s no reason to fear, young man,” a man approached him with a serene expression on his face. He wore a tunic, what made Lysimachus assume that was Rheya’s betrothed, Demetrius.

“Demetrius?”

“And you’re Lysimachus. One of Rheya’s progeny.”

“Aren’t you… dead?”

“Not yet, but not alive. Something in between.”

Lysimachus felt sorry for that man. Different from Rheya, there wasn’t a single trait of evilness in his eyes. He appeared to have suffered a lot, being trapped somewhere between life and death for so long.

“I’d like to take some of your blood,” Lysimachus exposed his intentions. “Rheya, she’s back. And she has been causing trouble to me and my friends. I think she plans to eradicate the humankind.”

“You have my full permission,” Demetrius easily consented, for his surprise. “However, there’s only one person whose mission is to end Rheya’s reign of terror. My granddaughter, Amy.”

“Amy… so she’s really your descendant, huh? I don’t know if she’ll be the most appropriate person for the mission. She trusts Rheya too much.”

“I know. But it will her choice to make. She’s the blessed chalice. The junction between the lines of the Trees Of Death and Eternal Life. Mine and Rheya’s.”

Lysimachus sighed. All the visions and theories had been finally confirmed and explained. Not only Amy was truly Rheya’s descendant, but she was also The Chosen One, to bring the First Vampire back to life and also destroy her once for all.

“I see,” Lysimachus nodded respectfully. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Take my blood and hand it to Amy,” Demetrius told. “Believe she’ll do the right choice.”

“Are we all going to survive this fight? Me, my sister, Amy… the rest of our friends?”

“This vision is dark and foggy. It’s still being written. But I see my granddaughter falling on her knees, consumed by immense pain and anger. Her hands are covered in ash.”

“Oh no,” Lysimachus remembered the visions Amy shared with him, about a dark version of herself and Kamilah’s death. “I-I… I won’t let this happen. I won’t!”

“Young man, if I can give you an advice,” Demetrius spoke low and soft, “cherish the time you and your friends have left. Prepare for the battle. Do whatever you can. But in the end, it’s in Amy’s hands.”

“I don’t believe it. Any of us is capable of defeating Rheya, we only need the right tool.”

“To believe it or not is your choice. However, you can’t change fate. You can’t change something that has already been written.”

Lysimachus started to feel his time in the void was ending, he was being pulled back to reality.

“Demetrius, is there anything else you can tell me?”

“When you see Rheya, tell her I love her and I always will. And tell her I forgive her.”

His mind started to spin, images of Demetrius, the Tree and the real life were mixed with visions. One of them specifically caught his attention. Lysimachus saw himself sitting down on a corridor. He sobbed in desperation. What was supposed to be one of the happiest days of his life, turned into a nightmare.

“What the hell?” He thought, trying to look further into the scene.

When he opened his eyes again, everything was a blur. Katherine was standing in front of him.

“Come on,” she yelled. “We’re running out of time.”

Still dizzy, Lysimachus stabbed the tree’s trunk with his dagger. Black poisonous blood dripped from the blade. Katherine handed him a plastic bag.

“The others have gone back to the boat. They’re waiting for us.”

She took his hand and dragged him away, while he tried to process everything that had happened.

* * *

**Kamilah**

As soon as Kamilah left her brother’s secret storage, she met Amy in the living room.

For a second she stared at her wife in silence, afraid of who she had became after unleashing her powers.

“Kamilah…” Amy spoke softly, before embracing her tightly and starting to sob. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Amy,” in her wife’s arms Kamilah finally relaxed. “I was worried about you.”

“The Order soldiers invaded the Shadow Den. They killed so many people, Jax was seriously hurt, but I… I fought them.”

“I know. I tried to call you this morning but R…”

“Don’t say it!” Amy’s eyes went wide and she interrupted what Kamilah was about to say. “Don’t say her name or even think about her. She can listen everything, every thought, every word, through the blood link.”

Kamilah was pensive for a moment, she grabbed Amy’s hand and went back to their penthouse. As fast as possible, they packed a couple of bags while she ordered one of her private jets. Then, they left their cat Beruthiel under Adrian’s care. Warning him to not approach, or trust Rheya under any circumstances. The same message was passed to Jax and Lily.

Amy was very tense. In the airport she’d look around apprehensively, like if she feared the First Vampire would be coming after them at any moment. Kamilah wrapped her arms around her protectively. She’d protect her wife at any cost. If Rheya came any closer to her one more time, she’d be ready for combat.

She looked forward to meet Lysimachus in New Orleans and together, come up with a plan to defeat the First Vampire. She only voiced that aloud when they were inside the plane, miles above New York City. If Rheya could really read their minds, making such a revelation would only be safe distantly from home.

After hearing about Kamilah’s plan, Amy was able to speak again and tell everything about the events at the Shadow Den, as well as what she learned about her origins and her powers.

“I’m her descendant, Kamilah. Her blood makes me who I am. Her blood makes me powerful. Her blood is the darkness inside of me. It makes me a monster… I don’t wanna be a monster!”

Amy buried her head on her Kamilah’s shoulder and sobbed, letting out all the emotion that seemed to be disturbing her mind. Kamilah gritted her teeth in anger, thinking how traumatic the conversation with Rheya must had been for the girl. She took a deep breath to recompose herself, trying to pass along some confidence to her wife.

“Amy, her blood may be in your veins but… you have your heart. This beautiful heart that has only brought joy to my life, that made me feel worthy of love and being loved. You’re not a monster and you’ll never be. You’re not Rheya. You have a choice, just like her daughter did.”

“What if I can’t control it? The darkness inside me, those powers…” Amy gazed deeply into Kamilah’s eyes.

“I’ll be there to bring you back,” she pressed a kiss on her lips. “And I won’t give up. I’ll never give up on you, Amy.”

“Do you still want a future with me, knowing I’m Rheya’s descendant?”

“A future?” Kamilah let out a small laugh, making obvious her answer. “Honestly, I didn’t fought so hard, against everyone and everything, to not have this future.”

“I want to have that garden with you,” Amy embraced Kamilah again.

“And a daughter. I’ve been told you want to have baby girl with me.”

“Only if you want to. I’m sorry for making you feel pressured yesterday.”

“I guess I do,” Kamilah grabbed Amy’s hand firmly, entwining her fingers on hers. “Though the idea scares more than Rheya herself, Adrian has gave me some useful advice on this matter.”

Amy let out a laugh.

“And she must have your gorgeous looks,” she said.

“Okay,” Kamilah agreed. “But she’s having your personality. Do we have a deal?”

“Absolutely.”

They spent the rest of the trip cuddling and discussing plans for their future. Kamilah made everything feel certain and secure, despise her own insecurities.

Arriving in New Orleans, she and Amy walked to a place she long knew, The Graveyard Shift. For Kamilah’s surprise though, it was the first time she’d seen it closed.

“What?” She asked. “Come on, Amy. Let’s take a walk and see if someone can inform us about my brother’s whereabouts.”

* * *

**Amy**

As Amy expected, Kamilah had contacts in New Orleans. Going to a fancy old house, a woman informed them Lysimachus had gone on a trip along with his group of friends. The female vampire didn’t know any further details, but Amy and Kamilah assumed it had to do with Rheya.

“So,” the girl asked, “what do we do until we wait for them to return?”

“Hmmm,” Kamilah was thoughtful for a moment, “why don’t I show you around?”

“Did you live here for too long?”

“Not really, I would only visit when Gaius sent us on missions.”

Kamilah took her on tour to all her favorite places, a museum, the St. Louis Cathedral and Garden District. Then they followed to the French Quarter, where Amy had a lot of fun venturing on the stores and buying all kinds of souvenirs. Kamilah only watched everything with a fond smile on her face.

“We should come back more often,” Amy said. “I absolutely love this place.”

“Wait until you see all the fabulous jazz scene it has to offer,” Kamilah added.

“I’m particularly interested in trying a beignet for now, can we?”

However another small shop called Amy attention, one that displayed artifacts said to be magical and had an advertising about fortune reading.

“Oh come on, Amy,” Kamilah rolled her eyes, noticing into what she was being dragged to. “Really?!”

“It’ll be fun,” Amy insisted with a playful smile. “Don’t you wanna see what your lucky stars hold for you?”

Doing her puppy dog eyes trick, Kamilah sighed and gave in.

“Whatever. I can’t really believe these things, I don’t think anyone is able to see what future holds for somebody else.”

Inside the shop, they met a peculiar man. After paying him a few dollars, he guided them to the back of the shop and told them to sit at a table, in front of him. The room was fully decorated with elements and colors that, according to him, kept the harmony of the place. A strange smell was also exhaled from some burning herbs, to send all the negativity away.

“Who’s first?” He asked, preparing a deck of cards.

“You go,” Kamilah told Amy. “I’d rather watch.”

The girl sat down and the man started to shuffle some tarot cards in his hands. He stared deeply at her while doing it, with a serious and scary expression. Next, he told Amy to draw three cards and placed them on the table, face down.

“ _The Fool_. This first one represents your past,” he explained, revealing the card. “You were surrounded by family and friends, but you always felt lonely. Like you didn’t belong the place you were born. You’ve always sought for more. You wanted adventure, action, passion. In love, you were never capable of getting truly attached to a partner.”

“Whoa!” Amy exclaimed. “This is completely correct.”

The man pointed to the second card on the table.

“ _The Tower._ This one represents your present. You’re scared, insecure. Once again, this issue involves your family, your blood. You feel like you’re living a double life, where a second part of you is trying to drag you into an opposite direction. One that will only brings misery and pain for all of those around you.”

Amy became tense to that revelation, that described exactly her situation with Rheya and her powers. She exchanged a quick glance with Kamilah.

“What about…” she asked nervously, “my future?”

The last card was face down on the table, the man unfolded it and told her the meaning of the figure:

“ _Justice_. You have two paths to follow. One choice to make. The first path will save all your loved ones and supply you with infinite power. You’ll be able to get everything you desire. Except… that will have to give up on what you love the most.”

“What?!” Amy shouted. “A-And… the other path?”

“The other path…” the man asked her to draw another card from the deck. “ _Death_. Your life stays the same. There’s a great happiness coming in your way. You’ll finally feel complete, in peace. However, it comes with a price.”

“What’s that price?”

“A life. A life will be lost in this process.”

“W-Whose life?” Amy wanted to know, concerned about her visions of Kamilah.

“I can’t tell you,” the man sighed. “It’s beyond my limits.”

Kamilah appeared behind her squeezing her shoulder in reassurance. She didn’t have to say it aloud, Amy knew what she meant. She didn’t believe any of that and promised everything would be okay.

“Are you next, Mrs.?” The man asked Kamilah.

“I don’t think so,” she replied.

“Please,” Amy begged. “Your future is my future too. And I want to make sure we’ll both share it.”

Kamilah rolled her eyed and took Amy’s place at the chair. As her wife, she picked three cards.

Amy stood in the corner listening to everything apprehensively.

“ _Four of Swords_. I see a lot of pain and loneliness in your past. However, it never stopped you from fighting for your ideals. Fighting for justice. All this pain has only made you stronger and prepared for what came next.”

By Kamilah’s face, Amy could tell she wasn’t even a little bit amused. All those things were pretty obvious, for anyone who had ever heard about her story.

“ _The Star_ represents your present… you’ve never been so happy before. You’ve finally got everything you always wanted. Yet, there’s a hint of insecurity. A fear of losing what is more precious to your heart. You’re also frustrated, because the situation is not in your control and because you blame yourself for trusting the wrong person.”

“This is enough,” Kamilah told with a nod.

“Your future…” the man proceeded, closing his eyes to keep himself focused. “ _The Wheel Of Fortune_ , reversed. There’s a dark cloud covering everything. But I can tell you’ll be facing a life or death situation, and my dear, this isn’t up to you. Your own future depends on somebody else.”

That was her the man was talking about. Amy knew it. She’d be the one to surrender to darkness and defeat Rheya, or find another manner to save… almost everyone. No matter she did, a death was in her future. Thinking about Kamilah and her friends in New York brought her a lot of agony. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing any of them.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Being on the plane headed back to New Orleans was a relief. Yet, Demetrius’ words wouldn’t leave Lysimachus’ mind.

_“Cherish the time you and your friends have left.”_

He couldn’t stand the idea of losing anyone who was so dear to him because of Rheya. And there was also the terrifying vision he had of himself, before leaving the void. What was that supposed to mean? What situation could bring him so much joy and a tragedy, at the same time?

“Hey,” Katherine poked him on the shoulder, “you’ve been acting strange since I found you speaking to that tree. Are you alright?”

“Yes,” he sighed. “It’s only… Demetrius has told me things. Showed me things too.”

“The tree?!”

“You won’t ever take this seriously, will you?”

“Sorry,” the Nighthunter smirked, “I can’t.”

When they arrived, for Lysimachus surprise, Kamilah and Amy had been looking for him. He met them at the hotel they were staying. Before they even had a chance to speak, he knew what it was about. They had found out the truth about Rheya.

“Brother,” Kamilah hugged him tightly, “I’m glad you’re fine. Please forgive me for not believing you back in New York. She… she had gotten into my mind.”

“This is okay,” he messed up with her perfect lined hair. “I was only giving you time to figure it out by yourself. How did that happen anyways?”

Kamilah’s expression changed. Her eyes showed concern and tension.

“Rheya planned a massacre in the New York community, attracting the Order Of Dawn direct to us,” she told him. “Me, Adrian, Priya and Lester did just fine but she sent a larger group to the Shadow Den. They killed dozens of vampires until…” Kamilah looked down, with a dark expression. She even lowered her voice. “Amy stopped them. All of them. By herself.”

“H-How?!” Lysimachus wanted to know. He knew the Order Of Dawn well enough to know that even himself wouldn’t stand a chance against a large group of their soldiers. They were too skilled and carried powerful armory.

“Her powers. She unleashed them completely. Jax said her eyes were glowing like fire.”

“Holy crap.”

“Please, can you not mention anything in front of her? She’s feeling terrible about it.”

“I won’t.”

Later that night, the group reunited at the Graveyard Shift, expecting to work together and discuss a plan. Lysimachus wasn’t the only one who was feeling completely stressed, Amy was in a miserable state.

“You know what?” He sighed, wrapping his arms around Kamilah and Amy’s shoulders. “We should relax a bit, get some distraction.”

“I’m in,” Amy agreed.

“Whatever you two say,” Kamilah smiled.

Garrus made sure to bring the most special stuff from his personal storage. After picking a table, they all agreed they needed something very strong to wash away all their concerns.

“And that’s how it happened,” Amy finished telling about her conversation with Rheya. “Grandma served me a criminal mortal for lunch, we said goodbye and she hopes to see me again, very soon.”

She took a long sip of a bottle of tequila.

“Hey there,” Katherine joined them at the table. “The Tree Whisperer, the Reaper of Pompeii and… Bella Swan.”

Lysimachus gave her a censoring look, trying to hide away his embarrassment. Kamilah limited herself to roll her eyes and Amy laughed at the joke.

“Alice Cullen,” she corrected, passing the bottle to Katherine. “I’d be Alice, with all those fucked up visions and shit.”

“Well,” the Nighthunter also took a sip, “at least you’re not venting your problems to the trees… like some people I know.”

“Katherine!” Lysimachus angered.

Kamilah finally broke into a laugh, playing along with the joke.

“Okay, if we’re going to mock my brother, I need more details.”

“Oh, we went to this Island Of Death to grab the poisonous blood that’s able to kill Rheya. He not only stabbed the tree and got it, but before he was crouched on the ground, talking to it. There were tears in his eyes, I swear.”

“There were not tears! And I was actually talking to Demetrius. He gave me some instructions and… showed me things.”

“What sort of things?” Katherine insisted. “You don’t speak about it. You’re just brooding since we left the Island.”

“Things about Rheya,” he snarled. “And the terrible things she can do. He also said he loves and forgives her for all she’s done.”

Amy punched the table and shook her head in denial at the last part. Then, she grabbed her bottle back from Kamilah’s hands.

“Never have I ever… had the most fucked up family in the world,” she swallowed a good amount of tequila.

Kamilah also drank some, before passing it to Lysimachus, who understood the message.

“Really?” Amy asked curiously. “I mean, you two were Egyptian royalty!”

“You have no idea of what being Cleopatra’s cousin was like,” Lysimachus informed.

“Oh please,” Kamilah whined. “Can we not talk about dear cousin of ours? I still have nightmares about her tantrums sometimes.”

For the group’s surprise, Katherine also drank from the bottle. They stared at her in surprise, expecting details. She’d never mention anything about her personal life, not even to Lysimachus.

“Since you’re all wondering,” she rolled her eyes, “my family disowned me.”

There was an awkward silence at the table.

“Oh… I’m so sorry,” Amy was the first one to open her mouth. “I… I had no idea.”

“Don’t be. I can assure you I’m way better off without them. My family, my only true family… is gone.”

After the confession, she went to the back of the bar, pretending to me picking songs at the jukebox. Lysimachus decided it was better to leave her be.

“Hey, Amy,” he said. “Can I talk to you, in private?”

“Sure.”

The girl followed him outside. Following Demetrius wishes was the right thing to do, especially now Rheya had decided to show her true colors. He trusted his sister in law would be making the right choice when the time came.

“I spoke to Rheya’s betrothed,” he started to tell, “your…”

“Grandfather,” she added. “I know.”

“Amy, all those theories, myths and legends have finally connected. You’re the blessed chalice. The junction between the two lines, the Tree of Life and the Tree of Death. You’re the Chosen One.”

“What does that mean? I’m so tired of all those titles.”

“You’re the only one who can finish this,” Lysimachus revealed the bloodied dagger he was keeping inside his jacket. “Killing Rheya is your choice.”

“The two paths…” Amy was pensive for a moment, recalling a memory. She told him about the tarot cards and what they showed about her present and future.

“Demetrius told me something similar. It seems like in end, a life… one of ours will be taken, no matter what we do.”

Amy’s eyes went red in anger and determination, she grabbed the plastic bag containing the dagger from his hands.

“Yes. One life will be taken… _Rheya’s_. That bitch is going to die.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Amy**

Amy was standing on the VIP backstage of a big event, where she could hear a famous singer playing distantly, as well as the excited crowd, chanting her name. She smiled, being Kamilah Sayeed's wife had its perks after all.

That was Amy's favorite song. She closed her eyes, enjoying the moment. However, the music became distant as a whisper and all that noise became silence. All her ears could detected were all those heartbeats... thousands of them. The blood being pumped from their hearts and flowing inside their veins. Their lives... so weak and so fragile. And they all belonged to her.

_"Don't fight it. Embrace the blood, Amy."_

Amy felt a hand on her shoulder, turning around, she faced Rheya. She had the same familiar grin on her face.

"No!" Amy yelled. "I'm not like you. I won't..."

"Too bad, darling," Rheya shrugged. "I don't need you anyways."

In just one movement, she raised her arms, absorbing all those lives. Electric power irradiated through all her body turning her into something even more inhumane, even more deadly, as thousands of bodies fell lifeless on the ground.

"Goddess Phampira is reborn," she announced.

" _Fuck!_ " Amy woke up, sweating and panting. That was the fourth nightmare in a week. Rheya would never leave her alone, even in her sleep. The dream though, was becoming more vivid and clear everyday. It always involved the death of thousands of people, what made clear her intentions were far from an era of vampires and humans living together, in peace.

They had been staying in one of Katherine's safe houses, properly secured by magic against unwanted visitors. She got up from the bed, where Kamilah slept peacefully by her side, and went to the kitchen for a glass of water and a snack. Inside the fridge, she spotted a pudding and smiled. Considering how many people had been visiting that place lately, finding it felt almost like a treasure.

"The label, read it," a female voice spoke behind her, "If it says Ryder or Lowell, you can eat the pudding. Otherwise..."

Amy let out a chuckle, before looking at Katherine.

"Apparently it's Lysimachus'."

"All in the family, so I guess you're allowed to eat anyways."

She sat down at a stool, next to the Nighthunter. They had became quite close in the last few days. While she was not an expert, Katherine helped her training her combat skills and psychic abilities.

"Amy," she spoke, "about yesterday, you're not telling anyone, right? Not even Kamilah."

"Of course not. Your secret is safe with me."

Until then, Amy had no idea how she could use her powers to stop or weaken Rheya. The process to fully develop and control them would possibly take years and they couldn't waste any more time.

During a sparring session with Katherine, Amy was having a hard time to disarm her, or breaking free from her complex moves. She needed more than combat stunts to win that fight. Or end Rheya's reign of terror. If she couldn't handle a highly-trained mortal, how could she have a chance against an Ancient Vampire?

" _Use her own memories. Dive into depths of her soul. Into who she is... into what made her._ "

A male voice whispered directly inside her head.

" _Huh?!_ "

Amy didn't recognize it or even knew where it came from, but the hint of familiarity was enough for her to know she could trust him. Taking his advice, she pulled Katherine into the void.

Suddenly they were both standing in the middle of a desert at night, where she could hear voices and giggles coming from a camping tent. Two girls, one of them being a younger version of Katherine. Her hair was still brown. There was no tattoo or leather clothes.

"W-What the hell are you doing?" The Nighthunter's eyes went wide in pure horror. "Stop! Get me out of here!"

Feeling her panic, Amy tried to comply with her command but it wouldn't work. Her powers couldn't bring them back to the real world. They tried to run, bumping into invisible walls that trapped them into that memory.

Katherine fell down on her knees, completely destroyed. Amy turned around, gathering courage to watch the scene happening in front of her. A monster emerged from behind a bush, chasing both of the girls. While Katherine made it safe back to her truck, the other girl fell behind. Succumbing to the creatures huge jaws.

"Kat-,"

"Ava?!" She called. "I... I'm coming... I..."

She started to unbuckle the seat belt to go back and help her friend but it was too late. The girl's screams were silenced and the creature's eyes were aiming to her next. Katherine stomped on the pedals and drove away as fast as she could, sobbing.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Amy took a deep breath, getting emotionally involved to that horrible situation. Katherine was right, bringing her there was cruel. That was her worst memory. The one that shaped her into who she was now.

"Please," she sat by her side on the ground, touching her shoulder, "forgive me. I didn't intend to bring you here. God, this is horrible."

"It was my fault," Katherine continued to cry intensely, "I didn't help her. I ran away like a coward."

"It'd have killed you too."

"She was my everything... she was all I had..."

The voice who first guided Amy into that moment returned, she understood the reason behind all of that, besides training her own powers. It wasn't about her. Not anymore.

"Katherine, you were just a girl," she told. "There was nothing you could do."

"I...I wish it had been me!" She grabbed Amy by the collar, pointing to her friend's corpse on the ground. " _Me_! Ava was the sweetest person. She was special! She... had an unique heart."

The corpse in front of them vanished into ashes, shaping into another scene, one where Katherine herself was lying dead on the floor.

"W-What..." she approached. The void teleported them to another location, a mental institution.

"It was my fault..." Ava repeated, non-stop, while shaking her body back and forth on the bed. "I killed her... I killed her..."

The doctors, or even her own parents, would never believe a monster was responsible for Katherine's death. The stories spreading around ranged from a possible animal attack to rumors that the girls were under the effect of drugs, causing Ava to murder her best friend. Inside her cell, after weeks of loneliness and hallucinations about that night, Ava took her own life.

"Oh god," Katherine covered her mouth. "No! Ava... H-How could them?! You didn't..."

"You're here for a reason, for a purpose," Amy wrapped her arms around her. "You're not a coward, Katherine. You're a warrior. She wanted you to be here. And she forgives you. I can feel it."

After that, she could tell something started to change inside that woman. A burden she had been carrying was being taken from her shoulders, bringing some peace to her tormented soul. Amy's psychic powers didn't defeat her, but they cured her.

"Thank you for that," Katherine gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand. "I really needed it. To see what it had been like if..."

She stopped. Not comfortable to go further into that subject yet.

"Anytime. We all have our own demons to fight."

"Speaking of which, are you ready to fly back to New York tomorrow and face your... _nana_?"

Amy rolled her eyes, and sighed.

"No. Not even a bit."

* * *

**Kamilah**

The plan didn't feel too elaborated, or even secure, but it was the only choice they had.

The group should return to New York immediately. Kamilah woke up with her cell phone ringing. It was Adrian, with the latest news from Rheya. In the following night, she would be attending an auction at The Metropolitan, where only the most wealth and influential people in the city had been invited to. How she made her way to the guest list was a mystery, but considering Amy's visions, that sounded like a perfect opportunity to commit mass murder.

She called up a meeting with the rest of the group to come up with a plan. Katherine and Nik managed to get into the security team, using as excuse an artifact rumored to be cursed. Being in the guest list, Adrian would attend the event as planned. Kamilah was surprised to not find her own name in it.

Lily and Jax were also contacted and included as part of the mission. While Lily would stay in a safe location, monitoring the place through cameras and pointing directions, Jax would stay outside with some members of his clan, waiting for a false warning to evacuate the building. No mortals should stay at the museum.

The only threat to Rheya's life was the blood of her betrothed, Demetrius, so Ivy cautiously extracted some drops from Lysimachus' blade and added to the tips of taser-like device. Once the building was evacuated, Nik and Katherine would shoot Rheya, temporarily paralyzing her.

Then, would come the hardest part. Amy would emerge from her secret location, one where only she and the Nighthunters would know, and attack Rheya with the bloodied dagger.

"You will need efforts," Katherine told her. "Kamilah and Adrian should be enough to hold her steady and then... you stab her. Right in the heart, as we've been practicing"

"Wait," Lysimachus protested. Kamilah knew it was only a matter of time. "Aren't you missing anything? I'm stronger than Adrian. What's my role in this?"

Kamilah sighed deeply. Before the reunion, she met Katherine in private. Considering how her brother had a previous confrontation with Rheya and how he became her target, they both decided to leave him out of the mission.

"What?! Have you two been plotting against me, behind my back?" Her twin brother protested.

Kamilah was about to patiently list the reasons why he shouldn't be joining the plan, but Katherine anticipated it, rolling her eyes and sighing in annoyance.

"Genius, hear it. Awakening the devil's wrath, right into her nest, wasn't the smartest of your decisions. If she spots you waltzing around The Met, you'll doom us all."

"What she means," Kamilah tried to ease her words, "Rheya would suspect it, if she suddenly see you back to New York."

"Let me take Lily's place," Lysimachus begged. "I'll stay hidden somewhere, monitoring the location and giving instructions. I can emit the false warning. Please, don't leave me behind."

And she agreed, wondering if that was the right decision. Lysimachus could be impulsive when it came to protecting the ones he loved. And three people he cared deeply about would be inside the museum, face to face with the First Vampire. She called Katherine, requesting some last moment actions.

When Kamilah was alone in her bedroom again, she opened her laptop and some news popped-up on her screen, making her eyes go wide in shock.

" _Ahmanet Financial presents new CEO: Rheya Apostolous,"_ the headlines said. Apparently, somebody sabotaged her company, causing the actions to plummet in only a few days. Due to Kamilah's absence, a boarding meeting was called and somehow they elected Rheya as the new CEO. She was able to reverse the damage immediately, gaining the respect of all employees and clients.

Kamilah's image was now painted as irresponsible and unprofessional, who refused to answer calls or reply emails. Calls and emails that never happened. Nobody ever warned her about what was happening at Ahmanet Financial.

"That bitch will pay for this," she shouted, slamming the laptop shut.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

In a dangerous battle, where the lives of so many people Lysimachus cared about were at stake, he couldn't act like a simple beholder. He needed to think of a plan B, in case the main plan went wrong.

He lied to the others, saying he needed to pack his bags. Back to his apartment, he opened a hidden passage inside his closet, where he kept some of his most deadly weapons. His biggest surprise was to find it completely empty.

"What?!" Lysimachus punched the wall. The only person capable of opening his blood-secured devices was his twin sister. And Kamilah knew him enough to know he wouldn't stay put, when Rheya could kill everyone.

When he returned to the living room, Katherine was standing there with her arms crossed.

"You were taking too long," she said. "I came here to check if you need any help _packing you bags_."

"Katherine, where are my weapons?"

"Your sister gave me some of her blood to empty your closet. She imagined you could be planning something stupid inside this head of yours."

"Listen..." he ran his hand through his hair nervously, "I could do the security part too, under that outfit no one would recognize me."

"Right," Katherine smiled, sarcastically, "only Rheya. Who possesses power over your blood."

"I'm worried about you. I mean... all of you. She's extremely dangerous and manipulative."

"Facing her is the only choice we have to save the humankind. It's a risk we have to take."

"Not you, okay?! Then stay behind. Let us, vampires, handle it. We're her progeny. We brought her back. It's our problem!"

"I'm already involved."

There was an uncomfortable silence between them. Lysimachus wanted to find anything, any arguments that could convince Katherine to stay. There was a discourse prepared inside his mind, but somehow he couldn't say it. The words would lose themselves somewhere between his heart and his throat.

"So..." he broke the silence, changing the subject, "you went shopping with Amy this morning."

"What's the surprise?" Katherine shrugged. "Two women bonding over expensive shoes. Nothing weird about it."

"You don't do shopping. It's not you."

"I do, maybe not so often but... in case you never noticed, I need clothes too."

Another pause. Lysimachus finally noticed her hair. It was a couple of inches shorter, and the magenta color more intense than in the last few weeks.

"You also did..." he twirled a finger on her curls, about to comment it, but she interrupted him with a small velvet box.

"I got you something," they spoke at the same time.

Lysimachus took the box from her hands, opening it carefully. It was a necklace. The pendant was beautiful and quite unique. A blue light irradiated from a tiny vial inside it.

"But why?" He asked, furrowing his brows confused.

Katherine grabbed the necklace and standing in the tips of her toes, she wrapped it around his neck herself. She was so close to him in that moment that it felt extremely comfortable and scary at the same time. Lysimachus felt his heart thundering inside his chest.

"Only to..." she leaned back a little, facing him. Their lips were only a whisper away. "Make it easier."

She grabbed him by the new necklace, closing that distance. Her lips never felt so soft and warm before. Her tongue met his and he explored it as much as he could, knowing it could be the last time.

"I hope you know," he smirked when they parted, "I don't intend to take this off."

"You better not," she pulled him by the necklace again, pressing her lips once more.

"Does that mean..."

"We will be doing it more often? Yes."

**\- MxF Smut Alert -**

In an impulse of joy and excitement, Lysimachus pinned her against the nearest wall, devouring her mouth all over again. Katherine responded by nibbling on his lower lip.

"We're gonna be late," she gripped tight on his hair. "We're supposed to be in the airport in ten minutes."

"Twenty?" Lysimachus brushed his lips on her neck, while his hands caressed her side, raising shivers.

"Fifteen."

They both nodded, removing each others' clothes in a frenzied mode. He lifted her up against the wall again and she wrapped her legs around his hips. Lysimachus could feel her warmness calling for him, inviting him... he decided to give her a little taste of what she wanted, teasing her and then pulling back.

"W-What..." she let out a muffled protest.

"Shhhh," Lysimachus silenced her, parting her lips with his tongue and kissing her fiercely.

He could sense how his slow and lazy movements were driving Katherine crazy. He grinned, thrusting a little bit harder. She responded by digging her nails on his shoulder blades, as pleasure started building inside her.

"What do you want?" Lysimachus stopped again, gazing into her brown eyes. "Say it. I want to hear you say it."

"You," Katherine whispered in his ear. Her legs tightened around his hips, attempting to bring him back to where she wanted him the most. "All of you."

As his mouth worked on her neck, scratching her sensitive skin with the tips of his fangs, he intensified his rhythm, thrusting faster and deeper. She arched her head back, moaning loudly. Feeling Katherine's climax, it didn't take long for Lysimachus to reach his own too.

* * *

**Kamilah**

"Is everything okay?" Amy asked, noticing Kamilah's tension at the airport.

They were the first to arrive. Nik was picking up some weapons and she didn't want to imagine why her brother and his possible girlfriend were taking so long to arrive. One thought wouldn't leave her mind. She wanted revenge. Rheya used her company to gain status among the New York's society.

"It will be," Kamilah clenched her fists, "when we kill that snake."

"I'm sorry for what she did. Once she's gone, I'm sure they'll be able to see this misunderstanding and you'll have your company back."

"I don't care much about the company, Amy. I'm more angry about how she fooled me, how she turned me against my own brother and especially, how she tried to take _you_ from me. I feel so guilty for falling into her traps."

"We all did. God, I completely opened up to her. I told her everything about my life, about us and our plans. All the time she was collecting information to use in her favor."

Amy went behind her, applying some relaxing massage on her muscles.

"Are you ready for this?" Kamilah placed a hand over hers.

"I have to be," Amy showed her their hands together and pointed to their wedding bands. "We have a future to build together."

"We do."

Kamilah placed a rushed kiss on her lips, as she noticed the others coming in their direction. Lysimachus had fewer less bags then she assumed, considering how long he took to pack them.

"Oh my god," Amy seemed notice it too. "You guys were totally _doing it_!"

Katherine blushed and walked away discreetly, to help Nik to carry their stuff to the private jet. Her brother stayed, choking on his words while he tried to explain how come they got so late. He blamed the traffic. Amy teasing and joking about their relationship was a nice distraction for a few minutes, until the plane took flight and they remembered where they were headed too. After that, a deadly silence made everyone too frightened to even speak. They'd only exchange some glances once in a while.

Amy rested her head on Kamilah's shoulder. She imagined what was going on inside her wife's mind, knowing she was destined to kill Rheya, after finding out they were related by blood. That girl had more strength and energy than any other person Kamilah had met before. She knew was capable of that mission, being the only one who could resist the First Vampire's influence. But at what cost? How she have to succumb completely to those dark powers again?

"Kamilah..." Amy whispered close to her ear, placing a soft kiss on the crook of her neck, "what are you thinking about?"

"You," Kamilah answered, running her fingers through Amy's hair. She was her main and only concern at the moment.

**\- FxF Smut Alert -**

"Good, me too. Can you meet me at the back of the plane in a couple of minutes?"

"For what purpose?"

She didn't answer, she only grinned and raised a suggestive eyebrow, walking through the corridor until the very end of the airship. Kamilah looked around, Nik had his eyes closed in some kind of meditation. Katherine had earphones on, listening to some music. Lysimachus was focused on his laptop. She left her seat too, moving cautious and silent.

"Amy! What are we..." Kamilah asked puzzled, when she met her wife by the toilet's door.

"Shhh..." Amy silenced her with a kiss. Not any kiss. A powerful kiss that sent electric impulses down to Kamilah's spine. The way she glided her tongue against hers, made her knees tremble. Her back hit the wall, causing some noise. Luckly, nobody seemed to be alarmed. She pulled Amy closer by the waist with one hand, while the other unlocked the toilet's door.

"I figured out we didn't have a moment alone before we left," inside the toilet, Amy continued to kiss her, desperately. "And I wanted to tell you and show you how much I love you... how much I need you..."

"You could've said it back at the safe house. We could've find time for..." Kamilah stopped, watching as the girl unzipped her dress, exposing a new lingerie. Her eyes couldn't leave the perfect curve of her breasts. " _This_."

"I know. I just... I was so focused on Rheya, on my role in this mission and I forgot the most important."

"It's not like we won't have another opportunity."

Kamilah wanted to be sure of that, but she wasn't. She didn't spoke it with the confidence she was trying to appear.

"Will we?" Amy gazed deeply into her eyes. She was scared and insecure too. She desired the same as Kamilah. That they had more time and moments of peace.

"You know what?" Kamilah pressed her wife against the sink, positioning herself between her legs. Her fingers trailing up her tights. "Screw Rheya. Just be quiet, don't make any noises or..."

"Or?" Amy bit her lower lip in a provoking manner.

"I'll stop. And trust me, you won't want me to stop."

As her fingers moved up slowly, starting to work on her wife's center. Kamilah could feel her mouth against her neck, fighting to muffle her moans. She smirked, pressing in harder. Amy's back arched against her grip and she let out a gasp.

"What was that?" Kamilah stopped for a moment. Teasing Amy by pinching her inner tight's soft skin. "Was that a... sound?"

The girl shook her head in denial.

"As I thought."

Kamilah proceeded, going deeper into her. She could hear Amy's fast heartbeats, as well as her ragged breaths. Her fingers dug hard on Kamilah's back, as she tried to control herself.

"Good girl," she fastened her movements and as Amy's body started to twitch in ecstasy, she escaped a moan. Kamilah quickly silenced her with a kiss.

Amy was panting hard when they finished, but she had a mischievous smirk on her lips.

"Well..." her eyes turned red as she pushed Kamilah hard against the door, making it rattle. "Time for round two."

She went directly to Kamilah's neck, biting and sucking, while her hands caressed between her legs, over the fabric of her underwear.

The older vampire was able to control herself just fine. She was long used to those games.

Amy's fingers slid into her lingerie, stroking harder and faster. Waves of pleasure started to run through all her body. Kamilah's nails gripped tight on the door, as she fought her own sounds.

"What is that, Kamilah? Struggling much?" As Amy sank her fangs into neck, drawing some blood and licking it seductively. Kamilah couldn't hold herself anymore. She collapsed in absolute pleasure, letting out some noise.

"I love you, Amy. I can't lose you..."

"You won't. I love you too."

They both tried to recompose themselves before walking back to their seats.

"Well, now we've got a reason to live," Kamilah squeezed her hand on the way. Amy looked at her confused. "Our game is tied. We'll need a round three later."

* * *

**Amy**

As the plane landed in New York, everything was set for the beginning of the mission. Kamilah and Amy were wearing their gala dresses, Jax and Lily were waiting to pick them up at the airport and drive to the museum.

Nik and Katherine were disguised as security team members. A van waited for them with high-technology equipment, where Lysimachus would stay, monitoring the place and giving directions. Everyone was wearing ear plugs, provided by Raines Corporation. Adrian was already in position. So far, Rheya hadn't arrived for the auction.

_"Amy, do you have the blade with you?"_ Katherine asked through the ear plug. Amy confirmed, touching the plastic bag inside her purse. _"We've arrived. Nik will be waiting for you in one of the side entrances. He'll conduct you to your hideaway."_

"Okay," Amy felt her heart stopping for a moment as Jax parked the car. "I'll be meeting him in a few minutes."

_"Right. And Amy... the most important, no one can know where you are. The only mind Rheya can't easily access is yours."_

"Got it."

Amy said a brief goodbye to her friends. She considered embracing Kamilah and tell her how much she loved her again, but she didn't. Not only because she would start crying, but she feared it would jinx their mission.

Nik Ryder was waiting for her at the left side entrance of The Metropolitan. After conducting her to a closed session of the museum no one would have access to, he informed Katherine.

"What do I do now?" She asked the male Nighthunter.

"You wait," he told her. "Lysimachus will tell you when to enter. There's a passage that leads to the auction location right there on that wall. You put this password on the device and it shall open."

He didn't say anything else before vanishing, leaving her in the dark, completely alone. Her only comfort was to know Lysimachus was hearing and watching everything.

The Metropolitan had always been her favorite museum in New York. Her dad would always bring her to visit every Summer or Spring Break. Being a History teacher, he had his own manner of showing and explaining everything about the different sections, making the experience feel even more amazing. Now all that magic had faded away, it was simply... _creepy_. She looked around, feeling goosebumps all over her body. For some reason, she could feel Rheya had arrived. She felt her presence somewhere in the building.

"She's here," she spoke to Lysimachus on the ear plug. "I can feel it."

_"Just a second,"_ he answered. _"Thanks, Amy. I spotted her. She's... uhh... being photographed."_

Amy sighed and rolled her eyes in displeasure. Rheya had power not only over every living vampire, but over mortals too. It only took her days to become a requested presence in every VIP event. She also had her own Instagram account now, with thousands of followers.

_"Listen, I need to keep focused her on her right now. I'll be calling you, at the right moment."_

And she was alone again. She started walking around. The temperature seemed to have dropped, she suddenly started to wish she had brought a coat. The lack of news made her even more nervous. Was Kamilah okay? What about Jax and Lily? She was about to ask Lysimachus when she sensed a presence.

"Who's there?" She asked. There was no answer, but she could see a shape moving in the shadows. She went to combat mode, her eyes scanning all her surroundings. Her ears detected another heartbeat around. A vampire's heartbeat.

"Amy," a hand touched her shoulder from behind, making her jump, "ma cherie."

"Serafine," she pressed the button on her ear plug discreetly, forcing Lysimachus to hear the conversation, "what are you doing here?"

The female vampire's expression changed.

"I was searching for you. We must talk, urgently."

"What is going on?"

"Amy," she pressed her index finger on Amy's forehead, making her feel dizzy, "I saw as you left the car and met that hunter. If you're thinking about betraying Rheya, you'll commit the greatest mistake of your life."

"Serafine..." Amy squirmed in pain. Her psychic waves were causing a sharp pain in her skull. "She... She's the only traitor here. She's the... First Vampire."

"I know. This is why I've been helping her."

"What? How could you?!"

"Amy..." the psychic vampire forced her on her knees. "For centuries I lived in fear. Hiding in the shadows, running away to survive, changing my identity and habits. Now Rheya is back we will finally be able to live in peace. She'll grant us a new era and a safe world to live."

"She won't," Amy fought against her powers. She couldn't even hear what Lysimachus was saying through the plug. "She... she will exterminate the humankind for power. I can see it in my visions, can't you?"

She tried to show Serafine some of her visions. But it was useless, she refused to see what was right in front of her. Nothing seemed to change her opinion about Rheya.

"I'm sorry, Amy. I can't let you proceed with your plans."

"Well, then we'll fight."

Remembering all the lessons she had with Katherine, Amy focused on her emotions. Her anger, her pain, her fear... gathering strength from all of it. She could sense her powers emerging inside of her. As Serafine tried to get into her brain again, she entered hers instead. It was easy to control her. To put her on her knees, begging for mercy.

"R-Rheya, my goddess. I'm so sorry... I failed."

Amy approached. Touching and lifting up her chin. She could feel the French vampire's blood running in her veins. She could feel her heart beating inside her chest. And most of all... she seemed to have control over it. Not only she could make her suffer, but she could end her life at any moment.

"Ask your goddess to save you a place by her side... in hell."

She started sending a surge of electricity right inside Serafine's brain. She screamed in agony.

_"Amy!"_ Lysimachus shouted on the ear plug, pulling her back to reality. _"Are you alright? I couldn't hear you. There was only static coming from your plug."_

"I had to deal with Serafine," she examined the vampire lying unconscious on the floor. "But I didn't kill her. She's only passed out."

_"Leave her right there, we can solve this later. At this point, she must have told Rheya everything through their psychic link. We need to act right now."_

"Okay."

Amy gripped tightly on the dagger, hidden inside her purse. She waited for a signal to type the code Nik previously gave her. Standing by the door, she feared what came next.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

"Oh fuck!" Lysimachus punched the keyboard. How did they forget about Serafine Dupont? It was obvious Rheya had a servant. Someone that had been helping her in all her actions, being at places she couldn't be. No one better than a psychic vampire to erase memories and manipulate minds. He called Katherine on his microphone. "We've got a big problem. Serafine Dupont has been working for Rheya and she discovered us. She's a psychic vampire too. At this point... Rheya knows."

_"Release the warning. Order Lily and Jax to evacuate the building."_

"Sure."

He did as told. The speakers on the museum announced there was a bomb that could be exploding at any moment, planted in one of the artifacts for auction. People started to panic, heading to the exit and he spotted Jax and Lily, guiding them outside. In the middle of all that crowd, all that mess, he lost her. Rheya wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Damn it! Katherine, we should abort the mission. Everything went wrong. I lost her."

_"I didn't,"_ she replied. _"I can see her from where I'm standing. It may be our only chance. We'll be shooting in 3... 2... 1..."_

"No!" Lysimachus shouted, but it was too late. From the high-definition screens he watched as Rheya stopped the devices mid-air, preventing them from getting attached to her body.

She raised one hand, making Katherine and Nik fall on their knees in excruciating pain. Raising the other hand, all the other vampires joined her in the room. One by one, they all went down on their knees too. Including Priya and Lester.

_"Tell Amy..."_ Katherine gasped for air, indicating she was struggling to breath, _"to follow plan B. She's... the only one who knows."_

"O-Okay. Katherine... I'm getting in there."

_"You can't... I... locked the van's door... from outside."_

Lysimachus passed Amy the last instructions, before uselessly trying to open the van, or break its bulletproof windows with his fists.

"Fuck!" While his broken and bleeding knuckles healed, he observed Amy had joined the others, pretending to be under Rheya's command too.

The First Vampire placed all of them in a circle, standing in the middle.

"I don't even know what the seven hells I'm doing here," Priya argued. "What _bitchcraft_ is this?!'

"I'm scared," Lester added, "but kinda turned on too. Who's the lady?"

"She's the First Vampire," Jax told them with a scowl.

"And no one informed us about it?! Do you remember this is what this damn Council is for, Adrian?"

"Priya, I'm sorry," Adrian told. "But considering your history, I thought I could not be a good idea."

"Are you calling me a traitor?!"

"My children, silence," Rheya spoke softly and calm, with her usual devious grin, interrupting the argument. "Now we're all reunited, we can finally start our party."

"Rheya!" Kamilah angered. "Let us out! Now!"

"Why, darling? The fun is only beginning," the woman caressed his twin sister's cheek, before moving a empty champagne bottle directly to her hands. "Actually, I've learned from mortals a few games we could play tonight. This one is called Truth Or Dare, but... there are new rules. My rules. First, I'll place the bottle here in middle of the circle and... I'll spin it."

She demonstrated. The bottle stopped on Lily.

"Lily Spencer. You'll be telling us one truth, then you'll perform a dare. You cannot lie or refuse the dare. If you break the rules, you're _out_ of the game."

_Out of the game_. Lysimachus could read in her face that was a death threat. The others could too, considering the glances they exchanged.

"O-Okay..." Lily forced a smile. "I'm good at this game."

"So tell us, Lily," Rheya placed her hand on Lily's head, as if she was extracting information and forcing her to speak. "Spill us some juicy secrets. Is it true you've got a secret crush on someone here in this room?"

Lily took a moment to answer, looking extremely scared and upset. She faced Amy with a mournful look.

"M-Me? I mean, it's a silly thing. No big deal"

"But who would be that person, darling? Your friends are curious to know."

Lily swallowed dry.

"Kamilah."

"Wow, kinky," Rheya let out a small laugh. "Now Lily, I dare you to show us your deepest thoughts about Kamilah. Unfortunately only vampires with psychic abilities will be able to see it, but I can describe for the others. Don't worry."

Being a psychic vampire and connected to the scene, Lysimachus was also pulled to Lily's memories and thoughts. He could see the night of Amy's debut party, when a drunk Lily accidentally hit on his sister. Or her many thoughts about how she wished to be in Amy's place. And also, her sexual fantasies.

When they got back, Lysimachus buried his face in his hands in desperation. Amy's expression changed. He could tell something had changed inside her. She was broken. Destroyed.

"I'm sorry," Lily muttered to her best friend.

Amy answered with a cold and hard gaze.

Rheya's intentions were clear, she was removing all barriers between the girl and her humanity. First, the Order attack, that unleashed the darkness within her temporarily. Now, by ruining her friendship with Lily.

"Good girl, Lily," Rheya returned to the center of the circle, after describing everything she saw, and spun the bottle again. "Let's see who's next."

"Oh my god," he feared what she was planning for his sister. The most significant person in Amy's life. She was the only one who could prevent her from succumbing to darkness completely.

The bottle stopped, pointing at Katherine. Rheya looked to one of the security cameras. At this point, she should already know Lysimachus was watching. She was provoking him.

"Katherine..." he tried to speak.

_"I've got this,"_ she assured him, speaking as low as possible.

"A mortal," Rheya crouched to be face to face with her. "Katherine, the Nighthunter. We finally meet."

She extended a hand. Katherine took it, confident and fearless. Unlike Lily, she didn't show any signs of distress. The only comfort Lysimachus had was to remember how she studied deeply every case she was hired for. She probably knew a lot about the woman in front of her.

"Rheya Apostolous. The legendary First Vampire."

"That's correct. What else do you know about me?"

"Goddess Phampira has granted you those powers when you were trapped in a cave, by an evil king," Katherine wasn't even a little bit intimidated. "You drank the blood from the Tree Of Eternal life and you were... _reborn_. After taking the king's place, you planned to create a kingdom where humans and vampires could coexist."

"Remarkable," Rheya smiled.

"I heard you have endless powers. The powers of a living goddess."

"Not yet, but I'm close."

Rheya stood up, walking around the circle pensive.

"Now, darling," she went back to Katherine, placing a hand on the top of her head, like she did to Lily. "Let's talk about _you_. I see... a _potential_ inside you. You... you've been _there_ too. Someone you loved was taken from you, correct?"

Katherine lowered her eyes, fighting off all the emotions Rheya brought back to the surface.

"She was my everything," she said. "And she was taken from me. I blame myself everyday, wondering how I could make things different."

"So this is why you hunt supernatural creatures. Tell me, would you do _anything_ to bring her back?"

"I would."

Rheya seemed to be fascinated. Coming from her, Lysimachus couldn't tell if that was a good or a bad thing.

"Now it's time for your dare," the First Vampire announced. "I dare you to tell me... _their_ plan," she pointed to the vampires on the circle.

"That's easy," Katherine smiled, keeping her posture. "They have a secret weapon against you."

"That's enough. It was a pleasure to meet you, my dear Katherine. You'll be rewarded by your honesty in the end of the game."

She looked at the camera again. Lysimachus felt consumed by rage. She was using Katherine to torture him. He knew it. He started banging at the van's windows again.

"Help!" He yelled. "Somebody help me!"

His attention went back to the screen. Rheya spun the bottle again, searching for her next target. It almost stopped, pointing at Kamilah. But a small force, a psychic force, moved it a little bit further, stopping at... Amy.

"Amy!" Rheya clapped her hands together. "My precious grandchild."

"Rheya," Amy tried to plead, "let them go. This... this is all my fault."

The First Vampire touched her head too. Her face only showed frustration, disappointment. She couldn't get into Amy's mind like she did with the others.

"Did you really want to kill me, darling?"

"I... I don't know. I like you, Rheya. I admire you. But you're scaring me with all these things you've been doing."

"Oh sweetheart," Rheya caressed her cheek, "I've told you I'd never do anything to hurt you. All I've done is for the best. To give you the world you deserve to live."

"Then let them go. I trust you and I'll help you in your goal. I promise!"

"If that's how you feel... I will grant your wish. But first, you must complete your dare."

"Of course."

"Where's the weapon, Amy? The one that is supposed to kill me. Show me."

Rheya made the motion of freeing Amy's hands, without knowing the girl was only pretending to be bounded. The girl opened her purse, revealing the bloodied dagger.

"Amy..." Lysimachus sighed. "What are you doing? That was certainly not the plan."

Rheya stared at the dagger in shock. Analyzing the black poisonous blood on its blade.

"Demetrius..." her faced turned from sadness and mourn to into a ugly snarl in a second. "How could you find him and try to use him against me?"

"I-I didn't," Amy tried to calm her down. "I didn't know about him or the blade until a few days ago, in New Orleans. But Rheya, he's forgiven you for all you've done. He said he loves you, and always will."

Lysimachus couldn't tell what the First Vampire's reaction was upon that revelation. Rheya's expression was unreadable as she kept looking at Demetrius' blood.

He heard police cars and sirens parking at the entrance of the museum. Somebody knocked at the door.

"Hey," he called. "Help me out. I'm trapped in here!"

"Sir, are you alright?" A police officer answered from the outside. "Be patient. We'll set you free in a minute."

They started working on opening the van's door, meanwhile Rheya continued her sick game with the group.

"Ungrateful whelp! You don't deserve living in peace. You deserve pain and misery, being hunted as the insects you are. I did not achieve perfection with my creation, I only faced betrayal!"

"Rheya, we're not going to hurt you," Amy insisted. "We were only scared. Let us go, please."

"Oh Amy..." she approached her granddaughter again. "Now I understand. This city is _your_ kingdom, it was always meant to be _yours_."

"Rheya..."

"I'll let you rule. I should return to _my_ kingdom in Europe, where I can try to make my creation perfect."

A loud bang from the outside made the van's door burst open. Before several cops entered, Lysimachus turned off the monitors and transferred the video to his phone. They checked on him and inspected the van, searching for evidence of the rumored bomb inside The Metropolitan.

Outside, he watched nervously the last events. Rheya continued her maniac speech with that lethal weapon in hands.

"You're so perfect, so pure. You could only descend from my Iola," she fondly stroked Amy's hair. "Everything I created was always so impure, so dirty... Gaius was nothing more than a brainless puppet and Xenocrates turned into a traitor. Like each one of _them_!"

"Then..." Amy swallowed dry, trying to get into her mind. "W-We can make them pure. In our New World."

Rheya let out a small laugh.

"Oh Amy, they can't be fixed. But I've always had this theory. I wondered what Demetrius and I could've created together after we were _changed_." Her eyes flashed red and she jerked her right hand. "And now I'm about to test it."

She pulled Katherine close to her body, holding her by the neck and forcing her to feed from her bleeding wrist. The Nighthunter thrashed and cried under her strong grip.

"No..." Lysimachus rushed straight to the museum's doors. They were sealed by Rheya's psychic powers. He closed his eyes, focusing on what he learned ages ago. That kind of protection was weak to other psychic vampires. Any of them could easily break it.

The doors opened, just in time for him to see Rheya about to stab Katherine with the poisonous blade. Like a blur, he moved across the room, landing on her and throwing her away from the group.

Katherine was free. But he rolled on the floor with Rheya, fighting for the possession of the dagger. Lysimachus held its hilt tightly, pointing it to her chest.

" _You_..." Rheya snarled. "I had a great purpose for you and you betrayed me."

"Go serve your purpose in hell, Rheya."

Lysimachus tried to move his hand for the final blow, but Rheya grabbed his wrist, crushing it into pieces.

"I gave you a gift... and now I'm taking it away!"

She turned the dagger in the opposite direction, burring it into his stomach. The effects of Demetrius blood instantly started to take effect. Lysimachus felt his entire body being consumed by darkness and pain.

As he felt on the floor, starting to convulse, the last thing he watched was Rheya vanishing across the sections of the museum. Into the darkness.


	13. Chapter 13

**Lysimachus**

Demetrius' blood was the most lethal weapon in the vampire world. No one could survive its power, not even the First Vampire herself. When his body hit the floor, Lysimachus could barely feel it. In truth, he could barely feel anything anymore. Within seconds, darkness was consuming his mind and soul completely.

The last thing he was able to see was Rheya escaping through the dark sections of the museum. Screaming and shouting suggested Kamilah still tried to go after her, only to be stopped by Amy.

"I-It'll be okay," he felt a warm hand holding his face. "Everything will be okay... I promise."

That was Katherine's voice. So calm and soothing, but also frightened and mournful. If only Lysimachus could touch her one last time or tell her how he truly felt. He tried to reach her hand but his arms wouldn't follow his commands.

"Katherine, I..." he coughed, black blood gurgling inside his mouth. "I..."

"Brother!" Kamilah cut his sentence as she joined them on the floor. Lysimachus felt a few tears dropping on his forehead. "Please... you can't leave me again..."

"Sister, kill me. Please, don't let me die as a monster."

"Hunter..." even Priya Lacroix seemed to be deeply affected by his imminent fate. And Lysimachus could swear that was impossible for the fashion designer. "Stop this bullshit. You saved me, we'll find a manner to save you too. Won't we, _mortal_?"

"I'm holding on to that."

The poisonous blood had already taken most of the veins of Lysimachus' body and his skin had acquired a grey coloration. He forced one last smile before feeling his conscience and his heart were being completely swept away, turning him into a Feral. He couldn't explain what happened next, but a sudden explosion on his chest made the pendant of his new necklace shatter in a million pieces. The blue light it contained involved all his body, starting some kind of healing process.

"W-What..." Lysimachus' pain started to ease and he didn't feel so cold anymore. He was even regaining some of his conscience back. "What's happening?"

"Get some rest, sweetheart," Katherine kissed his forehead and stroke his hair. "I'll tell you later."

For the next long hours, he had a restoring sleep. In fact, Lysimachus couldn't remember sleeping that well in ages. In his dreams, he was back to his home in Egypt, where he and Kamilah were having their usual spats over a feast. But differently from reality, his mom and dad were also there. They were together at the table. Happy and celebrating, as a family. More people appeared there too, Katherine, Amy, some of their friends and a few children running across the room.

"Time to wake up, lazy," Katherine's voice called him, in an attempt to wake him up.

"Five more minutes..." he complained. "Please."

"Five more minutes? You've been sleeping for over twenty-four hours!"

Against his will, Lysimachus forced himself to open his eyes and sit down. He glanced down at his stomach, to the spot where Rheya had stabbed him. The injury was mostly healed, but how he survived was still a mystery.

"This is what I _went shopping_ for. I went to the Fae Realm," Katherine broke the silence. "The necklace contained Lady Thalissa's magic. Her power was able to overcome the darkness inside your body and bring you back to life."

"Katherine..." Lysimachus searched for her hand, enlacing his fingers with hers. Tears started rolling down her cheeks. It was the first time he actually saw her crying.

"This is why I gave it to you in first place, because I knew you'd do something stupid. For a moment, I feared it wouldn't work. I thought I'd lose you forever."

"I had to save you, I couldn't let Rheya do what she was planning. God, I don't even know what that would've Turned you into."

Katherine rested her head against his chest, holding him tightly. Lysimachus kissed her forehead and they shared a very long moment in absolute silence, only enjoying each other's company.

"I'm starving," he finally spoke. "I feel completely worn out."

"That's right," Katherine brushed some hair from her shoulder, exposing her neck. "Lacroix said I should give you some of my blood, that it'd help to speed your recovery."

"She did?!"

Katherine nodded in response. Lysimachus chuckled at the information, then he carefully traced her jugular, applying a soft and delicate bite. He tried to do it as painless as possible, drinking only enough to regain some energy.

"Are you okay?" He healed the puncture wounds on Katherine's neck. "Do you feel any different after consuming Rheya's blood?"

"I'm fine. Being human it doesn't affect me, unless she had killed and Turned me."

"Thank god, I was so worried."

Lysimachus pressed his lips on Katherine's. She deepened the kiss, parting his lips with her tongue and then she finished by nibbling on his lower lip.

"Oh, I forgot. Kamilah asked to update you about the last events as soon as you woke up."

"What happened?" He asked, concerned. "Is it bad?"

"I don't think so," Katherine shrugged. "But some big changes are coming to your world."

Indeed, big changes were coming. As Lysimachus looked himself in the mirror after a shower, he could see something had changed. There was a new power, a new force inside him.

* * *

**Amy**

"Okay..." Priya paced anxiously around the room, together with Lester. They both glaring at Adrian. "Hunter's gonna make it, the Nighthunters managed to carry him out through the side entrance, but the _cops_ are coming inside at any moment. How the hell are we going to explain _this_?"

"You mean Adrian betraying us and forgetting to mention the First Vampire was around, ready to kick our asses?" Lester angered.

"I'm sorry, but you two didn't witness how powerful and manipulative that woman can be."

"Adrian, babe... in case you've forgotten she hijacked _my_ _brain_!"

"This is no time for accusations," Kamilah interrupted their discussion. "We need a cover up story immediately."

"Like the doors automatically closed after the bomb warning," Jax suggested, "and we got trapped inside?"

"And how did Lysimachus got stabbed? His blood is still all over the floor."

Amy watched the scene in silence. Her psychic powers were keeping the doors closed until they settled an arrangement. The Council Of New York could never find a way to solve their conflicts in a pacific manner, whoever was sitting on its six chairs. There was never an agreement. There was never peace. They were always on the edge of a war against each other, against their own species. She walked to where Lysimachus wounded body previously was, the bloodied dagger was still there, lying on the floor. The Nighthunters didn't dare to touch it, not without properly protection. It affected them harder than the others. Amy kneeled down and held it in her own hands, something in what was left of that black poisonous blood attracted, called for her...

" _No fear, child,_ " she heard a voice deeply inside her mind it, " _embrace it._ "

The tip of her finger touched that toxic blood, but surprisingly it didn't cause her any harm or pain.

"Amy!" She heard Kamilah screaming distantly, as her mind was being pulled into a void.

A man, wearing a white tunic waited for her in a mindscape, with a soft smile on his face.

"Granddaughter, we finally meet."

"A-Are you..." she opened her mouth to ask, choking on her own words. "Demetrius."

"I've been waiting for you for centuries."

"Why am I here?"

Demetrius approached and touched her shoulders slightly. Different from Rheya, he didn't gave her chills. His touch was warm and made her feel secure.

"Amy, I have seen your journey. I have seen your path ahead," he spoke. "It's your mission to undo the original sin that birthed so much pain and darkness and bring a new era to the world."

"An era of peace?" Amy asked. That was always Rheya's main purpose, to unite vampires and mortals. A purpose that got lost in the middle of so much power and sorrow.

"It will be your choice to make. A choice that will change the world forever."

"W-why me?"

"You're the first Bloodkeeper in history to be Turned. The fusion of the two lines. Rheya's vampire blood in her human descendant. _The sap of the tree in the blessed chalice_. At last."

The prophecies, they finally made sense. Amy could finally see it, it was Demetrius all along, trying to guide her into her journey through those dreams and visions. She tried to speak again, but she started being attracted back to the real world. She could hear Kamilah calling her name.

"I am honored to have met you, Granddaughter."

Those were the last words Amy heard from Demetrius before everything vanished and she was back to the museum, in a shock state.

"Amy," Kamilah shook her body, "talk to me. Oh my god, you weren't supposed to touch this blood! It's..."

"It's okay," she was finally able to speak again. Somehow she knew exactly what she was supposed to do next. "He won't hurt me."

Her wife was kinda puzzled by this last part, and even more by what she was about to ask.

"Let me handle it? The situation with the police and the reporters?"

"What? Adrian will call some of his contacts, they will help us to come up with a cover up story."

"Kamilah," Amy held her hand tightly, with the same confidence Demetrius had when he touched her. "Not anymore. I will make it right, I promise."

She couldn't say no, they were out of options. Kamilah exchanged a glance with Adrian, who approached too, confused about what was going on.

"Adrian, I didn't come to your company for nothing. There was always a reason behind it. You believed in me that day, can you believe me now?"

"Yes," he encouraged her. "I can. Go ahead."

Amy opened the doors and the police rushed inside with heavy armory, inspecting everything and checking out each one of them. After concluding the entire group was clear, they forced them outside to search the museum for the rumored bomb. The press immediately started to take pictures and ask questions.

"Do it," Kamilah stood by her side. "It's time."

"I'll speak," Amy announced, loud and firm. The reporters surrounded her, asking a million questions all at once. "I'm Amy. Amy Sayeed. You all know me as Kamilah Sayeed's wife. But now you're about to know the _truth_. The truth about me, about all of us."

"Kamilah," Priya snarled, "what the fuck is this girl doing? Make her shut up or she'll cause us a lot of trouble."

"Lacroix, chill out."

"When I came to New York, I was just a normal girl trying to find a job, trying to figure myself out. When Adrian hired me, I discovered _something_. A new world. A world hidden in the shadows, causing years of pain and conflict."

"What is she talking about?" The reporters murmured to each other. "What does it have to do with the bomb?"

"For years, thousands of years, there have been two worlds. The world of day and the world of night. Your world... and ours. But it's time we ended that division. It's time we stopped living in secret. It's time this endless cycle of blood and pain comes to an end."

Amy revealed herself to the hundreds of cameras in front of her, exposing her red eyes and fangs and encouraging the others to do the same. Everyone started to follow her lead, even Priya and Lester.

"That's right. We're vampires. But we're not going to live in the shadows any more. It's time we come into the open. Time we put old conflicts behind us. It's time for a new era to begin. An era of peace and reunification."

* * *

**Kamilah**

_4 weeks later_

Only one word could describe the last few weeks, _Hell_. The whole world wanted to know about the secret vampire society in New York. Kamilah didn't have a single minute of peace and privacy anymore. Especially being the oldest vampire in America, the one that walked the Earth for over 2000 years, witnessing all the changes, fighting wars and leading revolutions. Journalists and paparazzi followed her all the time.

Adrian became their main spokesman, giving hundreds of interviews and exposing details about their history. But no one had became so popular as Amy, especially among the youngest mortals. She was now some sort of role model, being photographed and worshipped everywhere she went. Her face was present on the magazine covers and on TV, her followers on social media also started to increase on a daily basis.

Amy could easily handle that celebrity life, but not Kamilah. Using that new revelation and Rheya's actions as excuse, she decided to take a break from Ahmanet Financial and stay away from the spotlights for a while. At least, locked inside her penthouse she was safe and sound from questions like...

"Kamilah, you were Cleopatra's cousin," a first reporter shoved a microphone right into her face as she left the car, "can you tell us more about her?"

She ignored him, following the way inside the building. She lost the count of the unknown information she had already revealed about her cousin and the disagreements they had in a distant past. A female reporter continued to follow her.

"Kamilah... what's the secret of your hair? There are hundreds of YouTube videos trying to achieve this level of smoothness!"

"I call it good genes."

A third reporter emerged out of nowhere, before she entered the elevator.

"Kamilah, the question everyone has been asking... you're older than Jesus Christ. Have you met the Lord... in person?"

She simply rolled her eyes, and pressed the button. Once she was back home, she could finally breathe.

"Rough day?" Amy asked from her laptop, while drinking a cup coffee with Beruthiel on her lap.

"A woman can't even buy supplies for her future garden without being harassed with unwanted questions and pictures!" Kamilah complained, making her wife muffle a laugh. "I like this new era... in parts. Some parts I truly hate."

"Guess what? They're making a movie about us and out of all people they invited Lily as screenwriter. I refuse to be part of any projects that traitor is involved!"

Since Rheya's sick game, Amy had ended her relationship with her best friend. She didn't want to see, or even hear, Lily's name.

"Amy... come on. It's a silly thing, you should forgive her. Rheya did that on purpose to cause conflict between you."

"Kamilah," Amy stood up from the chair, "you have no idea of the things I watched inside her mind, okay? How could she hit on you? Or have those disgusting fantasies? She was my best friend!"

"I see," Kamilah approached her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "But I still think you should talk to her, get to know how she truly feels. Rheya can be extremely manipulative and you know it, better than anyone."

Amy sighed in response, still not fond of the idea.

After the night at the museum, Rheya had disappeared completely. Adrian was still alarmed, contacting vampires from every part of the world but no one had seen any signs of the First Vampire's presence anywhere.

"I have a surprise," Amy announced, showing Kamilah her laptop screen. "I'm organizing an event. A huge event. It's a concert to bring together humans and vampires. There will be musicians from both species. There will be a food buffet, as well as a synthetic blood bar. The best of both worlds, in one place, during a whole night. I spoke to Adrian and he totally approves it. He thinks it's a good manner to end any misinformation we're bloody killers."

"This is a great idea," Kamilah read the flyer and embraced her wife from behind, pressing a kiss on her neck. "You're getting popular, famous, quite influent and powerful... I love it."

"I wouldn't do this without you, Kamilah. When we first met, I was just a girl, scared and insecure. You made me a woman. You always believed in me. You made me better."

"No, _you_ made _me_ better. How can I be so lucky to have you, huh?"

They shared a long and passionate kiss. Kamilah looked at the flyer again. A strange sensation erupted inside her chest. She was afraid, concerned about something, yet she didn't know what.

"Amy, you didn't detect Rheya's presence around anymore," she asked, "did you?"

"No," Amy told. "I was just speaking to Adrian, he still found no traces of her. I also used my powers to try to locate her but... she vanished."

Kamilah hoped she was right. But that feeling something dark was lingering in the air wouldn't go away.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

_2 weeks later_

A lot changed in everyone's life in over a month. Though Lysimachus wasn't present when Amy made the revelation to the whole world, he wasn't free from the fame and spotlight. Clothing lines wanted hire him as their model. Girls screamed his name wherever he went to. Things only intensified when Adrian announced him as one of the candidates to lead Raines Corporation, after he gave up on his position to run for Senator and dedicate himself to the campaign.

Those weren't the only changes in his life. Being stabbed with that deadly dagger had consequences too. Every magic had a price and he was paying it for staying alive. A part of Demetrius remained inside him, granting him some new powers and abilities to be explored. So far, Lysimachus discovered he could enter Ferals' minds and control them.

That wasn't the worst part, _Death_ became a part of him too. He'd often experience visions and dreams with those who already left this world. Amy's help and some training put that under control, but when the deceased person still had ties, unfinished business with the living, he'd see them around all the time.

"So..." Lysimachus deflected a blow of Katherine's sai as they trained together, "it has been six weeks."

"Since you got stabbed?" She furrowed her eyebrows, trying to find an opening in his defenses.

"That too. It has been six weeks you're staying in New York. In _my apartment_ to be more specific."

"Well, maybe I'm not bored yet. But if you want me to go..."

Katherine was finally able to disarm him, pointing the sai to his chest. Lysimachus threw his hands in the air, indicating surrender.

"This is not what I meant. Isn't it easier to admit we're..." he lowered his voice, whispering the next word, " _dating_."

"Are we?" Katherine smirked. "I mean, now you've got tons of women at your feet. You're rich, famous, successful. Why would you want to settle down?"

"Because I want _you_. It's _you_ that I love, Katherine. Why is it so hard for you to accept it? We have this thing going on for over a year now and we never talk about it."

She silenced, not giving him any response. In that moment, Lysimachus was sure he had ruined everything between them.

"Okay, I'm sorry," he apologized, walking away to the shower. "Forget what I said."

"No, wait," she called him back. "I... I feel the same. l Iove you too, but it's complicated."

"Because of what? The deceased woman who's constantly following you around? Who was she? A girlfriend, fiancée maybe?"

"I knew it'd be a matter of time until you discovered it with these new powers. I was planning to tell you at the right moment. She was my best friend, like a sister to me. And my whole world."

They sat down and she told him the entire story. Katherine and her best friend, Ava, were born only a month apart. They grew up together, having a really close friendship. Until the night Ava got murdered in the middle of the night by a creature, while they were camping at the desert. Katherine never stopped blaming herself, turning into a lonely and closed woman, who was unable to feel much of anything or create attachments with another person. When she finished, she was sobbing.

"Amy has been helping me... she showed me how it'd have been if I had died instead, but it wasn't enough," she wiped off her wet cheeks. "Then she keeps shaping that monster and I kill it inside my head, over and over again but... it doesn't go away. It'll never go away."

"Katherine, she's not moving on because you're not moving on. It's not the monster you have to kill, it's these bad feelings inside you," Lysimachus placed a hand over her chest. "You gotta let her go."

"What's keeping her around? Can't she forgive me?"

"No, actually she wants you to forgive yourself. She wants you to live, to fully live again. To smile, sing, have friends and a family. That's what she wants."

She leaned her head to the side, resting it on his shoulder.

"I'm trying," Katherine said. "I'm really trying. Would you help me?"

"Of course," Lysimachus kissed her forehead. "If you let me."

"Are you really giving up on all those women... for _this one_?"

"You mean the most amazing and beautiful woman I've ever met and also the one who saved my life? I totally am."

* * *

**Amy**

The day of the concert had finally arrived. Amy went to the location very early in the morning to make sure everything was going according to the plans. She monitored everything, to the artists' arrival to the organization of the buffet. Without the financial support of Adrian, Kamilah and Priya, as well as their influence, that event would never be possible. The money raised from the tickets sale would be going to multiple charity organizations.

However, an early encounter with Lily was almost enough to ruin her mood for the rest of the day.

"Hey," she heard her ex-best friend voice behind her, while she inspected the synthetic blood bar received from Japan, "can we talk for a minute? I mean, _this_ is a thing we should be doing together."

"No, it's not. It was my idea. _Alone_ ," Amy didn't even bother to turn around to face Lily. "I have no time right now, Lily. I'm sorry."

"Amy... will you ever be able to forgive me?"

"Someday, in a century maybe. If by then you've already stopped having a fetish on my wife. You were supposed to be my best friend and you betrayed me!"

"Amy, it's over already. It was only a stupid crush, but I realized it wasn't even real. It isn't worth losing your friendship for that. I'd do anything to fix it."

"You'll have to try harder," Amy stared at her with a cold gaze and followed her way. After all, she had other priorities at the moment. "Bye, Lily."

People started to arrive, crowding the huge concert venue. From the backstage, Amy watched proudly as vampires and humans started to interact and wait for the performances. Many journalists waited to enter her private room to interview her. She received them, one by one, answering some short questions. By the time it was over, she went to a VIP box with a privileged view of the concert, reserved exclusively to herself and her friends. Everyone clapped as she came inside.

"Come on, guys," her cheeks were on fire. "I wouldn't have done it without you. All of you."

She forced a smile when her eyes stopped at Lily. Kamilah had saved her a seat by her side in one of the comfortable couches. Amy grabbed a drink at the bar before sitting down.

Her wife had a mischievous smile on her face, while her brown eyes aimed at her twin brother, who was standing nearby with an arm around Katherine's shoulders.

"Hey, Amy. Remember what I always say? That I've been many things in my life, but it took finding you to make me a wife?"

"Yes," Amy nodded. "I can't get tired of hearing you say that."

"One thing I had already accepted I'd never be was a sister in law. But it's finally happening, after almost 2066 years of existence."

"Oh! So we're official now?" She glanced at the new couple. Katherine hid her face in embarrassment. "It was about time!"

"Our first event as a couple," Lysimachus confirmed. "The pictures are already everywhere. It's too late to have second thoughts. Right, Katherine?"

"Who's having second thoughts?" The Nighthunter punched him playfully.

"It calls for a toast!" Lily attempted to join their conversation.

Everyone silenced, looking at each other awkwardly, expecting someone to answer.

"Why don't we go down to the floor for a while?" Amy suggested, being uncomfortable to be around her former best friend. "The two of you, me and Kamilah?"

"Sure," Katherine agreed. "Let's get going. I can't even remember the last time I attended a concert."

Before leaving, there was one last thing that came to Amy's mind. She approached Adrian and asked:

"Where's Priya, by the way? Last thing we need is a scandal."

"Oh," Adrian pointed to the stage area, laughing. "Too late for that. Last time I checked she was already causing one, she got caught making out with one of the musicians."

* * *

**Kamilah**

When Kamilah thought about having everything she wished for, that new life was exactly what she had in mind. Together with Amy, she planned to a small garden at the rooftop of her penthouse, as it felt rather empty. That would be a good start to gain experience, before doing something big in their house in Hamptons.

The first thing to do was to install a modern, complex and eco-friendly irrigation system. Amy watched in silence as she studied the blueprints.

"So when are they coming to install it?" Her wife wanted to know.

" _They_?" Kamilah raised an eyebrow.

"The workers."

"I'm installing it myself. Do you think you can help me?"

When it came to handwork, Amy was not the most talented person. She was too clumsy for all of that. An early experience, when Kamilah started to set out the first plants in the soil, was enough for them both to know she'd be better stay away from the garden.

"I'm a disaster," Amy lamented, wet and cover with mud from head to toes. "I hope I didn't kill all your new plants."

"Me too," Kamilah joked. When the girls eyes filled with tears, she realized she had taken it seriously. "Amy, no. I was joking!"

"I know I am, Kamilah. Look at you, you're so naturally talented at everything and I couldn't even press some buttons without fighting the sprinklers and rolling on the mud."

"Hey, I may be a good gardener, but you have your specialties too."

"Do I?" Amy raised an eyebrow. "Because I feel I suck at everything, most of the time."

"Okay," Kamilah involved her in her arms, without minding how dirty she would get too. "Let me see... you're good in the kitchen."

"Yeah, but I spend more time cleaning the mess than cooking the dinner itself."

She was thoughtful for a moment, thinking of more items to that list.

"You're a great vampire and fighter. In centuries I hadn't seen someone to adapt the vampire life so easily and learn so many skills in only a few months."

"I only had those advantages for being _she-who-shall-not-be-named's_ granddaughter," Amy huffed. They both had agreed to not mention Rheya's name, or Gaius' name, anymore. "Otherwise I'd be like... my ex-best friend."

"You're angry at Lily now," Kamilah spoke. "But you're an amazing friend, listener, advisor and now, a good leader."

"Leader?"

"Amy, not every 24 years old girls will organize such a big event as you did. And that day at the museum... you handled the situation with... _she-who-shall-not-be-named_ so well."

"I almost got your brother killed. If it wasn't for Katherine..."

"If it wasn't for _you_ , she'd probably had killed me in that game. I saw when _you_ moved the bottle. Also, if _you_ hadn't stopped Serafine, all of us and those mortals would be dead too."

Amy stopped crying, but she didn't seem fully convinced of her talents yet.

"You're the best Marketing Director, everyone in the company says that. But most of all, you're the most perfect wife. I learn so much from you everyday."

"Oh my god, you're gonna make me cry again."

Kamilah cupped Amy's face, bringing her lips to hers. Amy placed her hands on her waist, bringing her closer to her body. Kamilah's mouth descended, placing kisses all over the girl's jawline and neck.

"Kamilah," Amy broke into a laugh when they parted, "now you're dirty too! We both need a shower urgently."

"There's _another_ _thing_ you're great at, you know?" Kamilah looked at her and raised a suggestive eyebrow.

"Oh really?! Well, but we can't take long. I need to be at the concert venue in a hour."

"In this case, we can save it for a celebration, after the concert."

Now she could finally see the accomplishment in her wife's eyes too. Being in the middle of the crowd, at the event she organized. They first stopped at the synthetic blood bar. Kamilah had heard about it previously, but she never intended to visit Japan to try it. She had some... _problematic businesses_ in that place. In fact, she was surprised by that courtesy of The Five.

"Not like real blood," she concluded, "but it can satiate me for a while."

"I think it tastes great," Lysimachus added. "For someone who's spend most of life without drinking human blood, that should do."

They clicked their glasses before finishing them. Kamilah could tell how happy and accomplished her brother was too, even after going through such a traumatic experience at the museum.

"So, will you accept the position at Raines Corporation?" She asked, hopeful to hear a positive answer. Having Lysimachus back to New York was everything she wanted.

"I don't know yet," he sighed. "I miss my life in New Orleans but... after almost dying, I feel I should spend some time with my family too. I think I'll accept it, but not permanently."

Lysimachus stopped for a moment, pensive before adding:

"It's up to Katherine too. If she agree to stay, I'll stay."

" _Oh!_ This is actually more serious than I thought..." Kamilah smirked, nudging her twin playfully.

"Kamilah..." Lysimachus cheeks went red. She broke into a laugh. "Can you _not_?!"

"I didn't want to say it in front of everyone, but congratulations, brother. Katherine is a good woman. I couldn't be happier for you."

"Thanks, sister. We still have a long way to go, but I like how we're progressing so far."

They turned around, observing as Amy playfully pulled Katherine to take pictures with her. From when Kamilah met her brother's girlfriend for the first time, she could already noticed the difference Amy's presence had caused in her life too.

"Look at that," Kamilah smiled at the sight. "She's such a natural in bring the best in a person's life. Isn't she?"

"Definitely. Katherine has changed a lot since she and Amy started hanging out. I remember how she also made me better when I first came to New York, we became friends even when I was trying to use her to get information on The Council."

"I think we can finally consider ourselves lucky."

The next song was announced and as the first notes started playing, Amy pulled Kamilah by the hand to the middle of the crowd.

"Sorry, guys," she said. "I'm gonna need my better half for this one."

Kamilah wrapped her arms around her waist, as she slowly moved to the rhythm. She recognized the song. It was one of Amy's favorites.

"This was one of our songs when we started dating," she had her eyes closed, enjoying the music. "It seems like yesterday."

"I could never forget," Kamilah whispered in her ear. "To many years to come?"

"No, to an eternity."

She turned around, kissing Kamilah for some long minutes, while the music played in the background. Time seemed to have stopped in that moment. It was the moment Kamilah realized everything was really going to be okay. They were finally in peace. And ready for what came next.

When the performance ended, they had a short interval before the next one started. Not long after they rejoined the rest of the group at the VIP box, somebody knocked the door.

"I thought we were done with interviews?" Amy furrowed her brows confused.

As soon as she opened the door, a cold breeze filled the room. It send shivers down Kamilah's spine, making every bone and every muscle freeze in place. She glanced at the others and could tell they were experiencing the same sensation.

"Congratulations, Bloodkeeper," Rheya entered the room with the same arrogant posture as always. "I had to come and see your accomplishments with my own eyes. In only six weeks, you managed to do what I never could, unite vampires and humans."


	14. Chapter 14

** Amy **

"Congratulations, Bloodkeeper. I had to come and see your accomplishments with my own eyes. In only six weeks you managed to do what I never could, to unite vampires and humans."

Amy stood paralyzed as Rheya entered the box, acting like if she owned the place. She gritted her teeth in anger. How could she be so innocent to believe she was truly gone? Especially upon the perfect scenario she had created for her comeback. One where Rheya could murder thousands of humans and vampires in order to obtain more power. Peace was never her goal. The First Vampire always had a greater purpose in mind, to become a Goddess with powers that could overcome anything, even death.

"Rheya..." she finally spoke. "Get out of here. _Now_!"

She ignored her, sweeping around the room and observing each one of her friends. She paused at Lysimachus, cocking her head confused.

"Curious..." Rheya furrowed her brows. "How could you survive Demetrius' blood? You were supposed to be _dead_."

"I guess I had to stay around and watch your downfall," Kamilah's brother answered, "bitch."

The First Vampire replied with a sarcastic smirk before keep moving, watching carefully all her surroundings.

"What are you doing here, Rheya?" Kamilah asked, frowning her face.

"Leave those people out of whatever you're planning," Adrian added. "If you've got anything to deal with us, we can solve it somewhere else."

This time they didn't have a plan, or even a weapon to use against Rheya, but Amy didn't feel intimidated. She felt angry, thirsty for revenge. She could feel that power burning at the depths of her soul, ready to unleash all its strength and defeat that woman once for all.

She walked to the glass, pointed to the crowd and spoke:

"This is how you create peace, Rheya. Not by putting a species above the other, making them believe they're superior. Or by starting an endless cycle of bloodshed and violence. Tonight we both win, humans and vampires."

"You're wrong, Amy," Rheya approached and stood by her side, touching the glass windows. Her eyes were shining red as fresh blood. "Humans started this war, when they killed Demetrius and took my daughter from me."

"You still can change it, you know? You can end this cycle. We can live in peace," Amy tried to reason with her, counting that inside the dark shell, a little bit of humanity remained intact. "Rheya, I'm your granddaughter. I'm a part of Iola and... a part of _you_."

Rheya grinned and looked at her. Amy gazed deeply into her eyes, diving into them. For the first time she could feel it. The link they shared. The part of Rheya that was running in her veins. The part that screamed for power.

In that moment everything stopped. There was no music or chanting coming from the crowd. All her ears could detected were all those heartbeats... thousands of them. The blood being pumped from their hearts and flowing inside their veins. Their lives... so weak and so fragile. And they all belonged to her.

"Don't fight it," the First Vampire said, "embrace the blood, Amy. Join me and together we can build an era of true peace and reign as the goddesses we are."

"N-No!" Amy resisted those thoughts. "I'm not like you. I won't..."

"Too bad, darling. I don't need you anyways."

Rheya lifted up her arms, ready to take and absorb all those lives. The visions quickly returned to Amy's memory. She needed to act before it was too late. Without thinking twice, she pulled the entire group into a memory void. The only place where Rheya's powers were limited and she was restrained.

"What do you think you're doing?" Rheya angered, noticing the invisible chains holding her down. "So clever, but it's a matter of time until we have to go back to the real world."

"But right now we're in my world, bitch. You'll stay and watch."

"What are you talking about?"

"I was searching for you through my Bloodkeeper abilities the other day and I discovered the truth..." Amy walked behind Rheya, and though she was much taller, she seemed completely vulnerable and small in that moment. "What happened to Iola, Rheya?"

"The Sons Of Ares kidnapped her, making me believe she was dead," some hateful tears filled the First Vampire's eyes. "Depriving me from seeing my own daughter to grow up!"

"You never saw her again?"

"No."

"Are you sure? Because I found _this_ inside your memories, something you can't quite remember..."

All of them were taken to a port city in Ancient Greece, where an adult version of Iola walked on the streets in company of her husband and daughter.

"When she turned out to be completely ordinary, the Sons Of Ares simply raised her as one of their own. She lived. She aged. She had a family on her own, until..."

Sounds of slaughter started to be heard, screams of panic and cries for mercy were heard across the streets. The group spotted a familiar figure holding a blade, not sparing a single life that stood his way.

"Die!" Gaius snarled. "Die for the Goddess!"

The flashback appeared so real and close some of her friends drew their weapons, thinking they were being seen and would have to face that man one more time in their lives.

Meanwhile, Iola turned to her husband, pushing their daughter into his arms...

"We need to get onto a ship! Now!"

The three of them rushed for a merchant vessel. Ajax, Iola's husband, was first, hoisting up their daughter, Minerva. A hand grabbed Iola from behind, preventing her from joining her family in safety.

"And where do you think you're going?" The figure was Rheya herself.

"No," Iola tried to plead for her life, "wait, I-"

Before she could even finish, her head was slammed into a wall, crushing it. Blood spilled in the group's direction. Someone let out a horrified scream. In front of them, Iola was lying dead on the ground.

"Pathetic human," Rheya said, before resuming the slaughtering.

Back to the real world, the First Vampire was on her knees completely destroyed.

"No!" She screamed, while she began to sob. "I killed her. My little girl. My baby. I killed her."

"You did," Amy told. "And all these centuries you blamed it on humans, generating so much hate, so much violence."

"Everything I did... everyone I hurt... all of it was a lie. It was me. All along. The monster. The killer. The abomination."

The others stared at the scene in silence, completely shocked.

"Amy," Kamilah threw her one of her daggers, "end this. Kill her now."

Amy grabbed Rheya's hair and pressed the blade against her throat. She could feel through their connection, in that moment she was hurt, broken and scared. There was nothing left inside of the First Vampire, except for a desire of ending her own life.

"Rheya, I'm sorry. You can't change the past and erase all you've done, but... I promise to honor your legacy. There will be peace among humans and vampires, but no lives will be lost in this process, not anymore."

"I still..." Rheya panted hard, barely breathing between her sobs. "I still can bring her back! I still can fix this!"

In a flash, she used her psychic powers to throw Amy across the room with the dagger buried in her stomach. The others immediately reacted. Kamilah lunged forward, only to be hit by a fire blast that sent her flying across the room. Adrian grabbed Rheya from behind attempting to hold her, she entered his mind, causing an intense pain that made him collapse.

"No," Lysimachus threw one of his daggers, preventing her from absorbing Adrian's life. The blade hit the First Vampire's shoulder. She scowled and jerked her hand, trying to force him on his knees. However, it didn't work.

"Demetrius... he's protecting you. How dare he?!"

"Even Demetrius grew tired of your bitchcraft," Katherine stepped forward, whirling her sai.

"Your useless little mortal..." before Rheya could made any moves against her, a ring on Katherine's finger blasted an intense light that involved her as a shield. The Nighthunter successfully stabbed her in the chest.

It didn't affect her much. Rheya pulled out the sai, wincing in pain. She approached the glass again, lifting up her arms and ready to collect all those lives in trade of power.

 _"I need to stop her,"_ Amy crawled, trying to reach her. She was still weak from the blood loss, yet she managed to stand on her feet. "Rheya... stop..."

"You're not worthy of my genes. Once again, I failed on my creation!" Rheya kicked her legs, making her fall on the ground again. Using the sai removed from her chest, she pointed it to Amy's throat. "Good riddance, granddaughter."

Like a blur moving through the room, somebody managed to tackle Rheya, getting her away from Amy. She lifted up her eyes in time to see...

"You!" The First Vampire grabbed Lily by the neck.

"No!" Amy yelled and tried to hit Rheya with a psychic blast, but she had no strength. She watched as the First Vampire buried the sai directly into Lily's heart. The girl glanced Amy one last time with a small smile on her face, before her body converted into ash.

"Weak as an insect. Her life barely served for my purpose."

Rheya laughed and turned around, ready to return to her mission.

Amy kneeled down, her hands covered by Lily's ashes. Her eyes filled with tears and she started to tremble. In that moment there was no pain or weakness. Something else had ignited inside her. Something ancient, powerful... and terrible. She felt like she was consumed by an intense fire. The wound in her chest healed immediately as the new source of power took over her body. A power deeply moved by anger and loss.

"Rheya," she ordered. "Stop."

* * *

**Kamilah**

"A-Amy..." Kamilah clutched the spot where Rheya hit her with a fire blast. Her chest hurt intensely. She opened her mouth to speak, noticing her wife was completely out of herself. Her eyes were glowing like two fireballs, exactly like Adrian when he took an excessive dose of his serum. "AMY!"

She couldn't hear Kamilah's voice or even notice her presence. Her mind had succumbed to those powers completely.

"She was my best friend," Amy walked in Rheya's direction. "How could you?!"

"Do you understand now, Bloodkeeper?" Rheya said. "How does it feel to lose someone you loved so dearly? Don't you desire enough power to bring her back? Wouldn't you trade all those mortals' lives for your friend's?"

"HOW COULD YOU?!" Amy screamed loud and powerful enough to make the entire box shake. The impact sent Rheya flying against the wall. The girl grabbed her by the neck, exactly like she did to Lily. "I could make it fast and painless as possible but for all you've done, all the pain you caused... you deserve to suffer."

Kamilah couldn't tell exactly what was going on, but she seemed to have entered Rheya's mind causing an excruciating pain inside her skull. The First Vampire attempted to fight for her life, but Amy's influence had weakened her.

"Farewell, Rheya," using her psychic powers, Amy moved Kamilah's dagger back to her hands before slicing her head off her shoulders. In a few seconds, the legendary vampire became nothing but ash. Like Lily, or any other vampires she murdered before. Everyone in the room exchanged glances, trying to process what had just happened.

"It's over," Adrian was the first one to speak. "She's dead. The First Vampire is dead."

"And so is Lily," Jax lamented.

However, Kamilah still could feel her essence, her power lingering in the air seeking for the next host. A body that could accept and embrace all its darkness. Suddenly she saw as it began to surround Amy's body and slowly get absorbed.

"No," Kamilah muttered, forcing herself to her feet. "Amy, y-you did it, my love. You defeated her. Rheya is gone."

There was no answer. Amy approached the glass windows, staring down at the crowd again. This time, her look was hard and completely cold.

"I can do this," she said, staring down at her hands. "I have the power to control, to manipulate, to shape... and the power to _create_."

The girl waved her hand, making a flower blossom in the middle of the room sparkling with beauty. She fixed her eyes on it, fascinated.

"I can make _life_! I _can_ bring Lily back. I just... I need more power..."

"Amy, sweetheart," Katherine interrupted. "You're starting to sound exactly like _her_."

"You don't understand," Amy told her. "I can bring back what you've lost. Katherine, I can bring Ava back to you."

"Amy," Lysimachus shouted, attempting to get her attention. "You don't want to do this. This is unnatural!"

"You... you don't understand. None of you!"

The way Amy spoke those last few words showed how angry she felt about them all. She turned back to the crowd extending her hands, ready to mimic Rheya and draw in all the lives of the thousands of humans below.

"Amy, no!" Kamilah yelled. "Stop. This isn't you!"

"This has always been me, Kamilah," Amy gripped tightly on the dagger she still held. "You just couldn't see it before, because you were blinded by what you call ' _love'_."

"No, love never blinded me. Actually it made me see clear. Amy, when I met you I could finally find myself again. I could get back what I had long lost. I realized I'm worthy of redemption, love and happiness. _We_ are."

"You once told me love was only a chemical reaction."

"I was wrong and you showed me. Because you have the most beautiful heart I've ever known."

Kamilah closed her eyes and reached out, touching her shoulder. Without any fear Amy would injury her. She knew the real Amy, _her_ Amy was still in there. She wouldn't be capable of hurting her. Ever.

"Come back to me, Amy," she smiled. "I love you. Now we can finally have that future we always dreamed of."

She hesitated for a moment, before a single tear ran across her cheek. Kamilah slowly involved her wife in a tight embrace and she started crying against her shoulder. That dark energy rushed out her body, vanishing in the air.

"This is okay..." upon her wife's desperate sobs, Kamilah couldn't hold her own tears. "Everything will be okay..."

"She killed her. She killed Lily, Kamilah! And I didn't have time to say goodbye or to say how much I loved her. She saved me, even when I treated her so badly."

"Lily knew it. This is why she did it."

The others gathered around them, huddling together exhausted and destroyed from the fight.

"What do we do now?" Amy asked.

"We go home," Kamilah answered, kissing her forehead.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

A few days passed since Lily's death and Rheya's defeat. For the crowd present at the concert, a minor accident happened at one of the VIP boxes. They didn't know about the battle or even about the deaths. Humans and vampires were still in peace. However, for some of them the world seemed to have stopped.

Lysimachus stared at the mirror while finishing to get dressed. He hadn't sleep in days. The adrenaline, the memories of that night made his body unable to get any rest. His dreams were often disturbed by Rheya's presence in the air, just seeking for another opportunity to rise again. Something told him that wouldn't be the last they'd see of the First Vampire.

"I hate funerals," Katherine spoke as she entered the room, wearing a black dress.

"So do I," he said. "Listen, I know this brings you some painful memories. You don't have to go if you don't want to."

"It's okay. I want to be there for Amy, as she has been helping me a lot. Besides, I've been in her shoes. I know how she's feeling."

She squeezed his hand, trying to bring some comfort. Lysimachus turned around and kissed her cheek. Together, they went to Kamilah's penthouse. His sister was alone in the living room, contemplating the streets through the window.

"Hey, sister," Lysimachus squeezed her shoulder. "How are things going?"

"Still the same," Kamilah told. "She's locked inside the bedroom, refuses to leave or even speak to me. I can't get through her. And there's those powers... I fear her emotions will bring them back to surface at any moment. I feel I'm losing her, brother."

Since Lily's death, Amy had been severely depressed. She wouldn't speak to anyone about her grief, refusing to eat or even leave the bedroom. As they opened the door, they found Amy sitting on the bed holding the urn that contained Lily's ashes. She barely noticed their presence until they approached.

"Hello, sweetheart," Katherine sat down by her side, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders. "How are you?"

"It hurts _so much_ ," the tears Amy had been fighting so hard against started to run across her cheeks. "I feel like a part of my soul has been ripped off."

"I know. It will take a while to feel better, probably will never fully heal. But Amy, you don't wanna get into this hole. You have an amazing wife and friends who love you. Most of all, you're strong."

"Yeah," Lysimachus joined them at the bed, "besides, that was what Lily wanted the most. She wanted you to live and be happy."

"Was it? I mean, I'll never know. I-I... I didn't even had a chance to have a final conversation with her. I pushed her away for all these last few weeks."

He sighed. Rheya wasn't the only presence he could feel. Lily was still around, for some reason. From his brief knowledge about his new found powers, she still had something pending that prevented her from moving on.

"What if... what if there's a way for you to say goodbye? If we unite both of our powers, it's possible you can see her one last time."

"Really?" Amy's tearful eyes finally met his, a hint of hope shining on her green irises. "Can we do that?"

"We can try."

Katherine gave him a small and supportive smile, indicating she was leaving the room to grant them some privacy. Lysimachus took a deep breath and held both of Amy's hands firmly.

"Okay..." he told. "First thing, we need to connect our minds."

"Got it," for such a skilled psychic as Amy, that was the easiest thing to do.

Once he felt they were in sync, Lysimachus channeled the powers that came from Demetrius blood. The air suddenly got colder and a heavy wind wrapped around them, taking them both to another level of the mindscape, one that had grounds in the Realm Of Death. When they opened their eyes, both of them were standing in some kind of forest with a dense fog that prevented them to see much further.

"Do you think she's here?" Amy asked, examining her surrounding for any clues.

"I don't know," Lysimachus answered. That place was absolutely creepy and he had no idea of who they could run into by accident. "Do not move. Let's just... focus on her."

"Okay. Come on, Lil. I just wanted to say goodbye."

They both closed their eyes, thinking of Lily and their purpose in there.

When they opened their eyes again, the forest had disappeared, giving space to a completely blank space. Lily was standing in the middle, wearing the same clothes from the night of her death. She opened a grin as soon as she saw them.

"Lily!" Crying, Amy ran straight to her best friend's arms. Lysimachus watched from distance.

"Amy!" Lily also broke down in tears. "Girl, you did it. You defeated Rheya. You're the boss now, baby!"

"But... you died. You died to protect me, even after I was so mean to you."

"I understand. In your place, I'd be probably be mad too. Trust me, I'd never do anything to separate you and Kamilah. You guys are OTP."

"Do you..." Amy took a deep breath to recompose herself. "Do you forgive me?"

"You don't even have to ask," Lily wiped off some tears from her face. "But you gotta promise me one thing okay?"

"Anything."

"First of all, you need training. For your own safety and for all those around you. You have a great potential inside you, Amy, but you need to use it correctly. Then, be happy. Live your life with Kamilah at fullest. And if someday you two have kids, make sure to tell them about their aunt Lily."

Amy let out a laugh followed by some sobs.

"Of course," she hugged Lily again. "I'll make you proud, Lil. And I'll honor you, for the rest of my life. You'll be my best friend forever."

"Forever," Lily grabbed both of Amy's hands squeezing them tightly.

The scenario started to fade, suggesting they didn't have much time longer. Lysimachus gave the girls a signal.

"I love you, Lil. Goodb-"

"No, not a ' _goodbye_ '. It's an ' _I see you soon_ '."

"See you soon."

With Lily's last words of " _I love you too_ ", both of them got pulled back to reality.

"Oh man," Lysimachus fought a few tears himself. "That was intense."

"Thank you so much," Amy embraced him. "It was all I needed."

"You're welcome. Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, only if we can have this massive party with lots of gaming later. In Lily's honor."

"Sure! We can arrange that."

Katherine and Kamilah were waiting at the living room. Amy greeted them with a smile, looking a lot better than before.

Before they left for Lily's funeral, Lysimachus' spoke in private to his girlfriend:

"So when _you_ will say goodbye? It worked for Amy. Removed a burden from her shoulders."

"Someday," Katherine sighed. "Someday I'll be ready. I let you know."

* * *

**Kamilah**

"No," Kamilah spoke over the phone, rolling her eyes, "I do _not_ wish to model for your new line of hair products."

Amy quietly watched her from the couch. Lily's death had a great impact in her life. She was no longer that usual upbeat and optimistic young woman. Like, Kamilah she decided to stay away from the spotlights and social media for some time. Together they decided it was the best for her protection and for her mental health in that moment.

With the consent of her parents, Kamilah took Amy to her hometown. Being away from New York's never-stopping action and find some peace and quietness could be helpful to restore her mood. They'd be staying on the family's lake house for a few days.

"Oh, _#Kamilahshair_ is also trending on Twitter. Again." Amy's father announced, making the female vampire almost drop her coffee.

"Excuse me?!"

"Your hair is becoming quite famous," Amy said as she sat by her side on the couch. "It's not exclusive for me to worship anymore."

"You know every part of me is exclusively yours, my love," Kamilah placed a kiss on her lips.

From the kitchen, Amy's mother cleared her throat, interrupting the moment. Though she was more tolerant, she still wouldn't accept any affection displays in her house.

"You two are almost as popular as the Twilight couple," Kamilah's father in law continued with his jokes. She learned where her wife had inherited her sense of humor from. "There are fandoms dedicated to your ship, thousands of fanfiction too."

"I don't understand any of these terms, Mr. Parker, but I suppose it's a good thing?"

"Come here to check it out."

Kamilah approached the man, who showed some of the work of their online fans. Some were very pleasant to read but some...

"Oh," Kamilah blushed in embarrassment. "This is... very _detailed_. And _accurate_."

"Okay," Mr. Parker closed the browser. "This is more information than I wanted to read."

"Guys!" Amy finally broke into a laugh. Kamilah closed her eyes savoring that moment. It was so good to hear that sound after so many days of silence and tears. "Stop, please."

After finishing breakfast, they returned to the lake house where Kamilah took the moment to appreciate the view in front of her.

"Remember the first time you brought me here? I was so frustrated I'd never be able to enjoy this place in your company during the day."

"Yes, then I showed you how fun it still could be at night. By breaking into the neighbors' hot tube."

"I'm feeling a little criminal today," Kamilah raised a suggestive eyebrow at her wife. "Aren't you?"

"Not really," Amy took a moment to answer. "It's Summer. The kids must be around."

They hadn't shared many romantic moments or any intimacy since the fight against Rheya. The girl turned around and headed back to the house. Kamilah could tell by her voice she was about to cry. She decided to follow her.

"Amy, what's happening? Is it because of Lily?"

"It's more serious than that. Those powers... I can sense them calling for me. Everytime I get angry or sad I feel I'll slip out of control and succumb to darkness again."

Kamilah sighed and joined her wife by the window. She tucked Amy's hair behind her ear and kissed her wet cheek.

"If that happens, I'll be by your side, making sure you'll come back."

"No, Kamilah. You don't understand... I could've killed you! In that moment I felt absolutely _nothing_. I was consumed by anger and hate."

"We can find a solution..." Kamilah spoke softly in her ear. "Together."

"Actually," Amy moved away from her, "we can't. I think we should follow separate ways for a while. It's the best for both of us."

"Amy..."

"Go back to New York, please. I'll stay here."

"Y-You can't be serious. We've been through so much together."

"I know," Amy approached again, holding both of her hands. "But this is something I must go through alone."

Respecting her wish, Kamilah packed her bags and entered the car. There was no goodbye kiss, Amy briefly waved her hand from the porch and returned inside. She thought it'd be better this way.

Kamilah felt like she had been punched in the stomach. In fact, a punch would've hurt less. All the times her enemies attempted to stake her or even extract her heart still didn't hurt that much. She felt crushed. In the end, Rheya had gotten exactly what she wanted.

"I absolutely _hate_ this place," Kamilah complained inside the car, before starting to drive away.

* * *

**Amy**

At night, Amy walked around the woods surrounding the lake house. She needed to clear off her head. Some kids were having a party somewhere nearby, she watched them from a distance. Only a few years back, she used to be one of them. In Summer, the whole family would reunite in the lake house, where she and her cousins threw great parties that gathered people from all over the town.

Those were good times without vampires, evil villains and sociopaths that wanted to take over the world.

_"That's it, Amy. How it always meant to be. You brought back the First Vampire, defeated her and brought an era of peace. But... what now?"_

Feeling sad and completely lonely, she stopped by the lake. The night made it appear dark and bottomless. She stared at her own reflection in the water.

"Demetrius, if only you could talk to me again. I could really use some advice."

Being without Kamilah was the last thing she wanted. God, she loved that woman _so much_. She could spend the eternity by her side and she knew she'd never grow tired or bored, Kamilah made it impossible. They had so many plans for the future, so many dreams... now everything seemed so distant again.

Footsteps behind her made her quickly react and turn around.

"Sorry," Katherine spoke. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"What are you doing here?" Amy asked. "Did Kamilah send you? Because I was very clear when I said I didn't want to see anybody."

"She didn't. Last time I saw her she was drowning in some fancy bourbon with Lysimachus. Actually, that may be the best bourbon I tasted in my entire life."

Amy forced a small smile. Of course Kamilah was drinking. Whenever she was too upset or too happy, alcohol was always present. She gave Katherine a sign to follow her inside the house.

"So," she grabbed the only thing she found inside the fridge, two cans of soda, "why are you here?"

"For a job," Katherine opened the can, drinking some of her soda. "You've been helping me to fight my demons, I'll help you to fight yours."

"How? I mean, there's nothing we can do. Rheya is gone, but her powers are eternal, immortal. They'll always linger in the air, seeking for a compatible target."

"We can't destroy it but we can banish it, and trap it inside of some container."

"And how much is it going to cost?" Amy let out a chuckle. "I mean, you always say your time is precious."

"Nothing," Katherine sighed. "Let's make it a girls night thing. Deal?"

"Deal. Where do we start?"

"Find us a container where we can trap Rheya's essence. I'll be outside preparing the ritual."

Amy searched the bedrooms hoping to find something, but as the house was rarely used in the last few years, there was nothing that could serve. She searched the kitchen's cabinets next, where she grabbed the only thing she thought that was appropriate for the purpose.

"Did you find anything?" Katherine asked while she finished placing some runes in a circle.

"Yes," Amy grinned ear to ear,s what she had in hands. "An empty jar of strawberry jam."

The Nighthunter broke into a laugh.

"Such a decadent ending for a Vampire Goddess, huh?!"

"Exactly. I thought my grandma's cookie jar was still too much for Rheya."

"Great, now give me the jar and stand in the middle of the circle."

Amy did as told. Being the most viable target, Katherine ordered her to attract the powers to herself. The girl bit her lower lip, feeling insecure.

"Are you sure this is safe?" She asked.

"No, it's not. I won't sugarcoat it for you," Katherine replied, bold and direct. "But do you have any other choice?"

She was right. If Amy wanted any chances of having a future by Kamilah's side, her only option was to trap those dark forces forever. She started to think of everything that made her sad, frustrated and especially angry. She remembered Lily. She pretended to desire for those powers to bring her back. She called for them. Suddenly that familiar cold breeze made all al her neck's hair spike up.

"It's here," she warned Katherine. "I can feel it."

"Stay in the circle until I tell you to leave." Katherine focused and started mumbling a few words in an ancient language. Amy could sense it coming closer and closer, starting to wrap around her body like dark tendrils. "Now!"

As Amy left the circle, Katherine switched places with her. The dark fog started to surround her, as if it was scanning for a vulnerability.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm not a viable host. It won't get me."

"That's what you think! Rheya was a mortal when Goddess Phampira granted her those powers. Katherine, get out!"

"Only a little longer."

After a few seconds, Katherine opened the jar and the dark force was immediately drained to the container. She quickly closed it, safely sealing it inside.

"Is it... over?" Amy asked in disbelief.

"I think so," Katherine concluded, examining the jar. "Now we must bury it somewhere no one will find."

"There's some rocks by the other side of the lake. Me and my cousins used to bury stuff there all the time. No one ever found them."

"If you say so."

With a shovel and a flashlight, Amy confirmed all their childhood treasures were still there, inside a deep hole among the rocks. She carefully placed the jar in there and covered the hole again.

Both of the women returned to the lake house, where Amy set up a fire outside. They both sat down in silence, lost in their own thoughts.

"You can come back to New York now," Katherine was the first to speak. "For your relationship's sake and mine too, Lysimachus gets really annoying when he drinks."

"He does," Amy laughed in agreement. However, there was something else that still prevented her from running back to her wife. "I can't go back. We banished Rheya's powers that remained loose on the universe, but I carry some of these powers myself too. Look what I did to the Order Of Dawn soldiers. I can lose control again."

"Oh about that, I have some contacts in Japan. There's this psychic vampire named Kano Yoshimasa, he's kind of a legend. You could appeal to him and ask for help with your powers."

"Really? I mean, Kamilah told me the vampires from Japan are far from friendly."

"Sweetheart," Katherine rolled her eyes, "you're kind of their leader now. Want them or not. They will _have_ to accept you in their territory."

"Would you come with me, as some sort of mediator?"

"Okay but..."

Amy knew what the Nighthunter's face meant.

"I'll pay. I've earned more than enough selling details of my life to that movie."

After driving as fast as she could, Amy used her vampire speed to move faster. She didn't have to care anymore if mortals would notice it. With a smile on her face, she knocked the penthouse's door. Her heart pounding anxiously inside her chest.

When Kamilah opened the door, the first thing she did was pull her for a long and passionate kiss.

"Amy," her wife was kinda shocked by her sudden return. "This was quite a surprise."

"I know," she blushed and smiled. "I've got everything solved. Would you come to Japan with me?"

Kamilah took a moment to answer. She involved Amy in her arms, holding her very close to her chest.

"I'll go wherever you go. I'd follow you into hell itself."

* * *

**Lysimachus**

"I thought we had an actual job here," Katherine complained inside the car. "And I only agreed to come because I know these lands."

"Really?" Lysimachus gave her an ironic look. "Or is it because you _wanted_ to be here? It _is_ an actual job, except that my employee is... not alive."

Lysimachus decided to accept Adrian's offer. In a few weeks when he started his campaign, he'd be taking the lead of Raines Corporation. Before that, he would be traveling Japan along his girlfriend and friends. Besides Amy and Kamilah, Jax agreed to follow them too.

Until then, he decided to enjoy his time by doing a few last jobs as a Nighthunter, together with Katherine. Their final stop was at a small town in New Mexico.

"I haven't visited since I left to New Orleans, about ten years ago."

"Come on," he placed a hand on his girlfriend's knee. "She want you to do this."

They left the car and he handed Katherine some flowers.

"Violets," she smiled, touching the petals. "Ava's favorites."

"Yeah, she was very specific."

Together, they followed into the cemetery. Despite the long years, Katherine still knew the way very well. They stopped at Ava's grave. The emptiness suggested no one had visited in a long time.

"Can you give us some privacy?"

"Sure."

Lysimachus sat down at a near bench, observing as Katherine kneeled down to place the flowers and caressed the picture in the tombstone. Then, she closed her eyes for a few minutes, muttering some words.

"Done," she returned to his side. "I told her how I feel, apologized for the millionth time and even said a prayer."

"Are you religious?" He asked. "I didn't know."

"I used to be, a little. Even if my parents..."

"Would you like to visit them?"

"No, we didn't part in good terms. They wished to never see me again. I'm respecting this wish."

Back to the car, Lysimachus couldn't understand how Katherine's parents could be so cruel and abandon her at the most difficult time of her life. No wonder she was so closed about her past and her feelings.

"It's not enough yet," Katherine broke the silence. "I can feel it. What's next?"

"Let me see," Lysimachus was pensive for a moment, remembering all the things he heard Ava's ghost saying. "There's one thing. I think we'll have the perfect opportunity for that."

They arrived in New York just in time for the party to honor Lily's life and to celebrate their next journey in Japan. Everyone was reunited at the Shadow Den bowling station. A few arcades had been installed, as well as a karaoke machine.

"Hey guys," Amy greeted them excited. "I thought you wouldn't be coming."

"Are you kidding?" Lysimachus messed up her hair. "We wouldn't miss it for anything."

"Can I steal Katherine for a minute?"

"Sure."

As soon as they left, Kamilah approached him bringing a drink. She looked happy and relaxed. Things between she and Amy were finally back to normal.

"So brother, are you ready? Have you ever been in Japan before?"

"Once. I must say I faced some trouble. This woman, Aiko Nakamura, wanted to capture me and throw me inside a dungeon. She said I remembered her of somebody she knew."

"Oh," Kamilah nearly choked with her drink for some reason. "I'm sorry about that."

"Anyways," Lysimachus shrugged. "I hope they're more friendly this time."

"And so do I."

Lysimachus reflected about everything they went through in the last couple of years. He let out a laugh.

"Due to our history, I doubt it. Trouble will always find us everywhere we go."

"Exactly. But as long as we're together everything ends up alright."

"To victory," he extended his glass to his sister. "And to family."

"Always," Kamilah clicked her glass against his.

"A minute of your attention please," Amy's voice, coming from the small improvised stage where the karaoke machine was set, got their attention. "To attend a very special request, I'll be singing _Party In The USA_. And Katherine will be helping me with this one."

A furious and embarrassed Nighthunter emerged from the middle of the crowd, playfully punching Lysimachus' arm.

"What is _that_?" She asked. "I know you're involved!"

"You said you'd do anything for Ava to move on," he started pushing her in the stage's direction. "Go. She wanted you to sing again."

"I hate you guys..."

"Welcome to the group, Katherine," Kamilah smiled. "I've been there too."

While the twins watched their significant others to playfully sing and dance at the stage, they exchanged one final glance and a smile. Their journey was far from over but after 2000 years of pain, both of them had finally found peace and love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's NOT over yet. Stay tuned!


	15. Epilogue (Part I)

A _few months later..._

**Kamilah**

From the rooftop of her penthouse, Kamilah contemplated the view in front of her. After living in Japan for almost a year, they were finally back home. Right at the beginning of Spring, when her garden was starting to flourishing. Her lips curled up in a smile.

During this time, she paid someone of her trust to tend it. Her main priority was to be by her wife's side in the journey she had to face, discovering herself and her inner potential.

Things weren't easy in the beginning. Amy had some difficult moments. Moments where she would close herself and push Kamilah away. Moments where she'd break down and succumb to her emotions. Moments where she wanted to give up on everything.

Kamilah always stood by her wife's side in each one of those moments, even if it destroyed her inside to see Amy in such a fragile state. She loved that girl with her whole life and she was willing to burn the world down for their marriage.

" _Lilies_ ," Amy spoke with a sigh when Kamilah kneeled down to examine some blossoming flowers.

"Amy," she stood up, wrapping an arm around her wife's shoulders. "Yes, I... I thought it would be a nice manner to remember her. Look how beautiful they look."

"They do, so beautiful as our Lily. I'm sorry, being back to New York brings everything back. All the memories, all the feelings..."

"I feel you. Outdoors of the movie are spread all over the city, I couldn't help thinking about her too."

"Jax just texted me," Amy commented. "He asked me to come with him to check if the Youth Center is ready for the opening."

"Are you ready for this?" Kamilah gazed deeply into her eyes.

Amy paused for a second, before giving her an answer.

"I have to be. Making sure everything is perfect is the best way of honoring her memory."

Before she left, Kamilah wanted to ask if she was going to be okay but she didn't want to appear overprotective. Sooner or later, Lily's absence was another reality Amy had to face. By herself.

She left the penthouse too, headed to her office. She had a few obligations at Ahmanet Financial. Even if she had employees to keep it running for her, she was still in charge.

"Mrs. Sayeed," her assistant came to meet her. "You have a conference with the board members. Oh, Mr. Raines also called. He wants to see you at his company this evening."

"Adrian? What a nice surprise," Kamilah spoke to herself. Adrian's duties as a new Senator demanded a lot of his time. Rare were the moments they were able to meet, chat and have a drink.

Once she was finished with her obligations, she walked to Raines Corporation. Adrian was waiting for her in the rooftop restaurant.

"Long time no see, little brother."

He didn't hesitate to pull her for a tight hug. Kamilah rolled her eyes, before responding with the same intensity. She still wasn't the kind who usually displayed affection, but that occasion in particular was a rare exception.

"I had to meet you for a drink now you're back in New York. How's life? And Amy?"

Kamilah sat down sharing the latest news. Adrian laughed at the fact Amy and her former lover, Aiko Nakamura, didn't stab themselves during their stay in Japan.

"Apparently Aiko is not over me yet," she lamented. "And Amy noticed that before I did. It was hard to prevent them from killing each other."

"Well, she's kinda possessive when it comes to you," Adrian let out a small laugh. "And how did you settled peace?"

"By reminding Amy I'm only hers. And proving it. A lot of times."

"And are you two okay now?"

"Better than ever."

"So, the reason why I called you here," Adrian pulled some papers from his suit. "My research with the Tree's blood is finally concluded. In a short time, every vampire will be able to walk in the sunlight... and have children."

"This is great news, Adrian," Kamilah nervously took a sip of her drink.

"Three vampire couples managed to have healthy babies with the serum. Are you and Amy still interested?"

"I... I must have a conversation with her. We haven't discussed this subject since Rheya and Lily."

That thought stayed in Kamilah's mind since then. Not much later, she called it a night and went home, wondering how she would tell Amy those news.

* * *

**Amy**

Being back in New York wasn't easy. Everywhere Amy looked at, flashbacks of the past year returned to her mind, especially about the loss of her best friend. Whenever anxiety started to strike, she remembered the promise she made. She promised Lily to be strong and to control the darkness inside her. And she had been doing both very well.

Her training with Kano required her to face all the dark parts of her past. The parts left unsolved and that still haunted her present. She had to deal once again with her mother's rejection and also face Gaius and Rheya. In the end, the psychic vampire taught her some valuable lessons that helped her not only to achieve her potential, but to keep her powers under control.

Amy no longer had to worry about having an outburst when she was too sad or angry. Which was a good thing, otherwise she would have murdered Kamilah's past lover, Aiko Nakamura in a blink of an eye. That woman hated her and did nothing to hide it. When they first arrived, she wanted to arrest and possibly kill all of them. Mostly because she was still bitter over her marriage with Kamilah.

The meditation techniques she learned from Akeyo Kwangi were also a great help during those months.

After a walk she was standing in front of a new building. She read the display sign, ' _Lily Spencer Youth Center_ '. A smile appeared in the corners of her mouth.

The Youth Center was a project created by all of Lily's friends as a form to honor her life. It was supposed to be a safe heaven for every kid that didn't fit in. In there, they could learn coding, design games or edit videos.

"Hey stranger," a male voice spoke behind her.

"Jax," she grinned and hugged her friend. "This place is amazing! Lily would love it."

"I know right? It's set to open with a special screening of Bloodbound next month."

"I received the invitation. It will be a special night, to celebrate Lily's memory and raise funds for the causes Adrian and Kamilah support."

She linked her arm around Jax's and he gave her a tour, showing everything the place featured. He also told her the latest news about his life. Jax founded a martial arts center together with his Maker, and master, Takeshi.

"I need to drop by someday," Amy said. "After all, you promised to teach some new badass moves."

"Anytime, Amy," Jax squeezed her shoulder.

The buzz of her phone interrupted their conversation. Kamilah wanted to meet her for a date, which was quite unexpected. She said goodbye to Jax and went home.

For her surprise, her wife was preparing dinner and would serve it outdoors, in a table she set in the deck, near her growing garden.

"Whoa," Amy asked as soon as she joined her at the rooftop. "What's the occasion?"

"To celebrate our return," Kamilah spoke, serving them both some wine. "And to appreciate this place."

She grinned ear to ear looking at their surroundings.

"You are _so_ proud, aren't you?" Amy teased her. "This garden is a like... your baby."

"I must confess I am," Kamilah sighed, blushing a little bit. "It's a dream come true."

"And I'm glad to be sharing this moment with you."

Amy raised her glass and they clicked it together. She told Kamilah about her day and how the Youth Center was almost ready for its opening. However, the female vampire seemed distant, lost in her own thoughts.

"Kamilah, is everything okay? How was your meeting with Adrian?"

"He... He concluded his research. The one using the Tree's blood. Every vampire can now walk in the sunlight and also start a family."

"This is great news."

"He wants to know if we're interested. He will be in the company for the next few days and he wants to be present for this moment, in case we accept."

Amy silenced. Only a few months earlier she was completely taken by a sudden desire to have children. She decided to postpone this decision after Lily's death and especially, her conflicts with Rheya. The bloodline she descended from made her wonder if would be a good idea to become a mother.

"I..." she stood up and walked around the garden for a moment, before answering. "I need some time to think."

"Amy, you know I'll support your decision," Kamilah followed her and embraced her from behind. "Whatever it is."

"It scares me, you know? My ancestor slaughtered humans for revenge, when she was the only responsible for her daughter's death. And my mom... she's _something_ _else_. What if I'm like her?"

"You're not Rheya and you're not your mom. I'm sure you'd make an amazing mother."

"Remember when I almost killed all your plants?" Amy gave her a wry smile. "How am I supposed to take care of a baby?"

"I do," Kamilah muffled a laugh. "No pressure, okay? When you're ready, I'm ready."

She turned around and pressed her lips on Amy's, who deepened the kiss, enjoying the tingling sensation Kamilah's touch still brought her.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Kamilah's beautiful brown eyes, gazing directly into hers as she said those last few words, made her feel completely secure of their future. That old desire ignited inside her again. Maybe it was really time to start a family.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Taking the position as the new lead of Raines Corporation didn't seem so bad as it appeared at first. Though it was far from exciting as his Nighthunter job, Lysimachus felt satisfied. When Adrian took a few days to visit the company he could finally get a break from the long hours in the office and the busy schedule.

The best part was going back home in the end of the day and have someone waiting for him.

"Sorry for being late, Adrian had a few things to discuss with me," he placed a few bags on the table. "But I brought dinner, from that restaurant you love."

"You're such a dedicated boyfriend," Katherine placed a kiss on his lips. "It may be worthy to keep you around after all."

They had been together for a while now, almost a year officially and almost two, considering their fling in New Orleans. Moving in together was a big step for Katherine, who had spent so much time alone and closed inside her own shell, but she was changing. Lysimachus had never seen her so happy before. She enjoyed their life in New York, taking a few jobs as Nighthunter around the area and also being responsible for the security among the vampire community.

"How was your day?"

"The usual. Two vampires wanted to start a riot in Soho. Rumors said they planned to turn a few mortals to join their cause. I arrested them."

With the new changes in their world and to secure a peaceful coexistence with mortals, new Turnings had been completely banned from the city, unless for some very strict exceptions. Any vampire that violated that law would be facing severe punishment.

"My girl is a badass," Lysimachus wrapped his arms around Katherine's waist.

"I know that," Katherine laughed. "By the way, I'm proud to announce I just broke your record in that game."

"Oh come on, I should have known it wasn't a good idea to turn you into a geek."

They both sat down at the couch, holding their take-out boxes while Lysimachus turned on the video game console. His meeting with Adrian made some new thoughts appear inside his mind. Thoughts he had never considered so far.

"Hey," Katherine elbowed him, trying to get his attention. "Kamilah and Amy have arrived. Just in time for the movie's release this weekend."

"Oh really?" Lysimachus asked. "This is awesome. I... I really need to speak to my sister and it has to be in person."

Later that night, he went to Kamilah's penthouse. He greeted her with the tightest of the hugs. They hadn't seen each other in months, only speaking through video calls when he had some free time.

"So brother," she served them both a drink. Their reunion demanded a celebration. "You told me you wanted to ask me something important."

"That's right," Lysimachus paused, drinking the whole glass in one sip. "When did you know it was the right time? With Amy, I mean."

"Right time?"

"To propose. Adrian was telling me about his new girlfriend and his wives. I... I want the same with Katherine."

Kamilah stared at him in silence for a few seconds, before scowling and crossing her arms.

"Who are you?" She asked with a snarl. "And what have you done to my brother?"

"Kamilah," Lysimachus sighed. "I'm not joking. I'm deadly serious."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help. Since your youth in Egypt you..."

"I know. But I've changed, I met someone I want to share my life with. I'm done with one-night stands."

Kamilah took a deep breath, as if she was thinking of an answer.

"With Amy, I finally felt safe again," she told. "She makes me happy. She changed me, showed me a life I couldn't see. She completes me. This is how I knew I should marry her. I didn't want to spend a single day of my life without her around."

"I'll keep that in mind," Lysimachus nodded.

"I also have some big news to share. Amy and I, we decided to start a family. We'll be taking Adrian's serum."

"Sister, this is so awesome! You know I always dreamed of being an uncle. I only wish to have my own kids too, and watch them growing up and messing around together like we did."

"Well, who knows. If you marry Katherine, it's possible."

Kamilah helped him to plan the most perfect scenario for a proposal. In the weekend, after the movie's release, Lysimachus would be taking Katherine to the Hamptons' house, where he'd ask her to marry him.

" _Well, I hope I don't ruin things between us completely,_ " he thought, before returning to his own apartment.

* * *

**Amy**

From inside the limo, Amy couldn't see the world outside but she could hear all that noise, all those voices. The car parked in front of the crowded theater and she took a deep breath, trying to gather courage to face what came next.

Her life was about to change. Again. The night marked the worldwide release of _Bloodbound_. The movie made about her life and her friends'.

"Are you alright, my love?" Kamilah placed a hand on her knee.

"Only a little bit nervous," she smiled at her wife. "I didn't imagine there would be so many people."

"And so many journalists."

"Leave the questions to me. I know you hate them."

Kamilah opened the door left the limo first, she took Amy's hand and the photographers started to take thousands of pictures of them. Amy opened a huge smile, trying to appear as relaxed as possible. She could hear young boys and girls screaming their names. They were holding magazines, pictures and even posters.

Kamilah wasn't a big fan of such a public life. She was always longing for privacy and quietness, what seemed impossible to be achieved now they had returned from Japan. Amy took charge of that aspect of their lives, she was responsible for interacting with people through social media and giving interviews.

As they walked through the red carpet, she stopped to take selfies with some fans and give autographs. Then, she joined Kamilah to answer a few questions to the journalists.

"Kamilah, you've been mostly absent from Ahmanet Financial for almost a year now. Has it had any negative impact on the company?"

"No," Kamilah answered, calm and composed as usual. "In fact, Ahmanet Financial has showed a significant growth during the last few months. Even in my absence."

"Amy," another journalist asked, "you two spent almost an year living in Japan. Does it mean any new projects for you two?"

"We were..." Amy paused for a moment, people had no idea about the real reason of that trip. "Taking a break and taking care of some personal matters."

"Now a question to the couple of the moment," a famous blogger was the next one to interview them. "What the future holds for you?"

She and Kamilah exchanged a glance and smiled. Their plans for the future were a top secret.

"We're living the moment," Amy smiled and raised her eyebrow suggestively to leave the journalists intrigued. "Let's see what comes next."

They followed their way to inside the theater. The others had already arrived. Jax, Adrian and his new girlfriend, Lysimachus and Katherine. All of them found their reserved seats and waited for the movie to start.

"This katana," Jax protested. "It doesn't make justice to the real one!"

"Is that what you're bothered about, Matsuo?" Kamilah asked. "I do _not_ flip my hair at every five minutes like they're showing."

"Guys! It's just a movie," Amy tried to cheer them up. "Not everything is real."

Seeing all those moments being played on the screen were an intense and emotional experience. The movie had Amy's point of view of the story, since her interview at Raines Corporation to their fight against the Ferals in the woods, followed by Lysimachus' arrival and ending with Gaius' return. A sequel was already being filmed, telling the next events of their lives.

The ending displayed a message: ' _In Loving Memory of_ _Lily Spencer_ '. Amy couldn't prevent tears from rolling down her cheek. The tears she successfully held seeing a gorgeous actress, the resembled her best friend, on the screen.

"Amy," Kamilah squeezed her hand. "I'm so sorry. She should be here too."

"I-I..." she wiped off the tears from her cheeks. Her make-up should be completely ruined. "I gotta go to the bathroom."

Alone inside a stall, Amy broke down in tears. Losing Lily was wound that would never fully heal. But as Kamilah always told her, pain was part of life. The good moments would always prevail. After washing her face and applying a new make-up, she took a deep breath, ready to join the rest of the group. They still had a big party to attend.

* * *

**Kamilah**

After living for over two millennia, Kamilah had experienced almost everything the world had to offer. She also played many roles during her life. She was a nomarch, a queen, a soldier, a CEO. But she'd never imagine someday she would have... ' _stans_ '.

On the internet, young girls were leaving her some very suggestive messages after watching _Bloodbound_ in the theaters.

"Oh!" One in particular got her attention. She cocked her head to the side confused. "Is that even possible?"

She continued to read while Amy finished getting dressed for their meeting with Adrian.

"For god's sake, I'm 2066 years old... _and married_!"

She closed her laptop. That was enough for one day. Amy hadn't left the bedroom yet. She probably needed some time alone, after all facing all those memories again shouldn't be easy. Especially for her. In all those events portrayed in the movie, she was the most affected. She was the one to be involved in a world she didn't belong, she fought monsters, got kidnapped, died and returned as a powerful vampire, destined to kill Rheya.

Kamilah didn't know how she'd feel herself when the second movie came out, forcing her to relive Gaius' return and some flashbacks of her past. She decided to not think about it, at least for now.

"Kamilah, who were you talking to?"

Amy finally appeared in the living room, gathering some belongings inside her purse.

"No one. I was just reading those comments online, some are so unbelievable!"

"As long as you're not interested in any of them," Amy playfully grabbed her by the collar of her shirt. "I don't care."

"I could never," Kamilah responded by nibbling on her lower lip, after involving her in a passionate kiss. "None of these mortal women are so beautiful and exciting as my wife."

That was supposed to be the most important day of their lives. The day that would change everything. Adrian was already waiting for them in the laboratory when they arrived.

"First, I'll need you both to sign those papers," in his office, he handed them a document and a pen.

Kamilah read it carefully. Adrian had collected samples of both of their DNAs and mixed them in a serum. The serum would be injected in Amy's body, giving start to the procedure that could result in a pregnancy. She and Amy exchanged one final look, confirming the decision they made together and they both signed the papers.

Adrian left the room for a couple of minutes and returned with the injection device in hands. Amy offered him her upper arm, where he pressed a sharp and thick needle. The girl winced in pain. Kamilah squeezed her hand in support.

"And it's done," Adrian announced with a smile.

"Just like that?" Amy girl asked. "We are... expecting?"

"It's not so simple as it seems," Adrian explained. "There's another step. This is why the contract said you'd have to stay home for at least 24 hours. When you feel the effects of the serum, you'll have to conceive the baby. Like a regular pregnancy."

"Oh. I get what you mean..."

She looked at Kamilah with a suggestive smirk. With some embarrassment, the female vampire cleared her throat.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone now," Adrian said. "You should go home."

"Sure," Amy grinned. "We'll have a _busy_ day ahead."

"Amy..." Kamilah blushed again. "Please."

Hours passed since the visit to Adrian's laboratory. Kamilah decided to engage in her usual activities until the effects struck. Amy, on other hand, was spread on the couch extremely bored.

"It's not working," she complained. "I don't feel a thing! Maybe we should take our clothes off."

"Patience, being anxious will only make this difficult," Kamilah finished typing an email on her laptop. "Adrian said it could take a while."

"It has been a while. Long while."

Kamilah stood up from her desk and headed to her home office's door.

"Well, I'm going up to the garden. If you feel any different, just let me know."

"No. Way!" Amy also stood up, facing her with a frowned face. "You're not leaving me alone here. You spend way too much time around those plants."

"What?" Kamilah couldn't help but laughing. "Amy... are you jealous of my garden?"

"Maybe? The question is... you're _not_ going."

Amy moved forward, pinning Kamilah against the wall and holding her wrists above her head. Using her psychic powers, she shut the office's door closed.

"Oh," her green eyes gazed down Kamilah's body, as if she was seeing it for the very first time. They stopped at the curve of her breasts, turning red. The girl opened a smile, showing her pointy fangs. "Maybe it has started working after all."

"It did?" Kamilah's brown eyes met hers. As she felt Amy's nails dragging down her stomach, unbuttoning her shirt, her stomach flipped. "Show me."

"My pleasure."

**\- FxF Smut Alert -**

Amy cupped her face between her hands, taking Kamilah's lips in a long and heated kiss. Their tongues moved together smoothly and teasingly, while the girl's hands roamed across her wife's body.

As they parted, her lips moved down to Kamilah's neck and then to her breasts. The female vampire threw back her head, enjoying the blissful sensation of having Amy's fangs brushing on the most sensitive parts of her body.

"Amy..." she moaned, tangling her fingers on the girl's hair.

"Who said you're allowed to touch me, Mrs. Sayeed?" Amy looked up, with a seductive expression.

Kamilah felt her arms being forced above her head again, being held by an invisible and powerful force.

"Better now," with a grin, Amy lowered herself even more, sucking and biting the skin of Kamilah's flat stomach. Then, in a single move, she ripped off her pants.

As the girl's tongue found her center, Kamilah squirmed against her hold.

"Oh my god!"

"Whoa, you're being such a bad girl, Mrs. Sayeed. You don't want me to punish you, do you?"

"You... wouldn't..." Kamilah provoked her, between her moans. Amy responded by biting her inner tight. The sharp pain only built more pleasure. "Ah!"

Amy continued to work on Kamilah's mouth, driving her to ecstasy in a few minutes. The female vampire tried to recompose herself, when the girl sat down on her desk, grinning mischievously.

"What?" She asked. "Don't you miss the extra hours in your office when I was your assistant?"

"In fact," Kamilah approached her, lying her on the desk, "I missed it more than I remembered."

"I'm not wearing an underwear," Amy whispered in her ear.

Kamilah's hand caressed her tight and up, confirming what she said. She could feel how much Amy desired her.

"Hmmm," she touched her only enough to tease, then stopped, focusing her attention on devouring Amy's beautiful mouth and massaging her breasts.

While they kissed, Kamilah could tell she was impatient for more.

"Why did you stop?" Amy spoke, almost inaudible, against Kamilah's lips.

"Shhhh," Kamilah nibbled on her lower lip. "Quiet."

Her fingers continued to move inside her wife, in a slow and soft pace. Amy arched her back under her body, her hands trying to pull her closer. Kamilah sped up her rhythm. The girl buried her mouth on her shoulder, muffling her moans.

As Kamilah felt she was close to climax, she stopped for a second and told:

"Good girl. And now, you're allowed to let everyone know who you belong to."

She resumed her movements, making Amy scream very very very loudly as she reached her peak...

"Kamilah! Oh! My! Fucking! God!"

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Maybe it wasn't the right time yet. Or maybe it was. It _definitely_ was. Lysimachus was 2066 years old vampire. Katherine was just a mortal. She was 30. Even if she lived until 100, it was a very short time, compared to the eternity he had. He couldn't waste any more time.

"Fuck," as those thoughts consumed him, he punched the wall in front of him again. The ring he bought with Kamilah's help still in his hand. Why was it so hard to simply take her to the beach, go down on one knee and propose?

"I thought the purpose of coming here was to relax," Katherine's voice echoed from the corridor, indicating she was approaching. Lysimachus quickly hid the ring on his pocket again. "You don't look _any_ relaxed. Is there anything wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry, there was some trouble at the company. Nothing important. Bullshit."

"Maybe we should head back. I'm starting to get bored, we did nothing since we arrived."

Impulsive as she was, Katherine already started to grab her bag. She was right. They had arrived in the previous night and most of the time Lysimachus left her alone, while he freaked out about his proposal.

"No, Katy," he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't we..." he suddenly had an idea that would please her. "Let's take a ride on my bike. The roads are empty, we can have some dangerous fun."

"Great," the Nighthunter's eyes glowed in excitement and she grinned. "I'll drive."

"No, wait..."

It was too late, she had already stolen the keys from Lysimachus' hand.

They had a lovely afternoon, driving fast on the empty roads near Kamilah's house in the Hamptons. Katherine liked adventure and adrenaline as much as he did. Most of all, they were free and in peace. There was nothing better than that. The feeling everything was okay for the first time was unlike any other.

It was early night when they returned. While Lysimachus grilled some food in the exterior area of the house, Katherine observed him, walking around the pool. She had a smile on her face and the way the moon reflected on her perfect tanned skin made her look even prettier.

"What?" She wanted to know, noticing he was staring.

"Nothing," Lysimachus shook his head. "You... you look so pretty tonight. And the most important, you're happy."

"I must confess I hadn't felt this good since... Ava died."

Speaking about her best friend's death was becoming easier. Especially now she had Amy around. They shared the same pain and bonded quite well. Kamilah's wife even followed his girlfriend to some of her jobs.

"This is all your fault!" Katherine playfully punched Lysimachus, before wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Really?" He pulled her closer to his chest. "So go inside, turn on the stereo and bring some booze. Let's make this night even better."

As she disappeared inside the house, Lysimachus dialed a familiar number. An old friend he often sought for advice in the most diverse moments of his life.

"Hey, it's me. I can't do this."

" _Oh please..._ " the female voice on the other side of the line let out an angry moan. " _You interrupted my massage session for that?!_ "

"Priya, you promised to help me," Lysimachus insisted.

" _There was such a good-looking guy next to me, we were chatting and now he's gone._ "

"You will find tons of other hot dudes there in the Caribbean. Now can you give me some advice?"

" _Hunter, I never proposed to anyone. Probably never will. Ewww._ "

"But how would you like to be asked in marriage? Tell me."

" _I'm pretty sure Katniss' standards doesn't match mine. I mean, the ring would've to be VERY expensive and it would definitely involve an orgy and blood._ "

Lysimachus placed the phone away from his ear while Priya finished to describe the tiniest gruesome details of the proposal of her dreams.

" _But you... you should do that best Edward Cullen impression of yours. Broody and mysterious, but romantic._ "

"I don't do that!"

" _Then tell her how you feel, without being too creepy. Go down on one knee and propose. Simple as that._ "

"What if she says no?"

" _Well, you can come to the Caribbean and join me. There will be a..._ "

"I gotta go."

Katherine was returning to the pool area, Lysimachus told Priya goodbye and started to prepare. He couldn't wait any longer. If he had to save it for after they had dinner he'd probably get too drunk and fail miserably on his mission. Without any more hesitation, he stopped in front of his girlfriend and went down on one knee.

"Katherine, I..." Lysimachus had no idea of what to say. He had wrote down a speech for that moment. He rehearsed and trained for days, but now, the words had vanished from his mind. "I-I... uh..."

"Darling," Katherine broke down in a laugh. "How much did you drink already? What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry. It sounded way better in my head. Katherine... with you I'm the happiest I've ever been. You made me a better man. God, I've learned so much from you in those past two years. You're gorgeous and you're strong, you're the most amazing woman I've ever met. Will you marry me?"

Silence. For one whole minute the only sound Lysimachus could hear were his girlfriend's fastened heartbeats.

"Are you joking?" She finally asked. He showed her the ring, carved with a large, but delicate, diamond. "Oh, you're serious. You're _really_ serious."

"Will you marry me?" He repeated the question.

"Why?"

" _Why_? Come on. People will usually answer yes or no, not ' _why_ '."

"Hey, come here," Katherine grabbed Lysimachus' hand, forcing him to stand up. She guided him to a seat on the pool's lounge. That didn't sound good. It could only mean one thing, he had ruined everything.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just... don't we live like a married couple already? Signing a paper is pointless. And so is spending money with a party. You barely have a family, I don't have a family at all."

"I want the experience of seeing you as a bride, walking the aisle and we professing our votes. I want you to have my last name, since you hate using your family's. I want to see you wearing _this ring_. It took me days to find the one I thought it would look perfect on you."

The Nighthunter sighed and took the diamond ring from his hand, wearing it on her fourth finger.

"I love what we have," she leaned her head on Lysimachus' shoulder. "I always felt we didn't need anything else. But if it's so important to you... then I say yes."

Lysimachus finally opened a smile, followed by a relieved sigh. He wrapped his arms tightly around Katherine's body.

"Oh my god," he pressed his lips on hers. "For a second you had me really scared."

"Don't be silly," Katherine dug her fingers in his black hair. "I love you. You just caught me by surprise."

They lost track of time, kissing and exchanging touches under the beautiful night sky. Katherine rested her head on his chest as they observed the stars and Lysimachus told her everything about Astronomy and the old beliefs of his people.

"It's cute the way you talk about your parents," she commented. "They seemed to be so amazing."

"They were," he added. "I hope to be for our kids at least half of the man my father was."

" _Our kids_? You've been making a lot of plans, darling."

"Yeah, it's something that has been on my mind lately. Now my sister and Amy are trying for a baby, I'm really excited for this possibility too. I mean, if you want."

"I always wanted to be a mom, to give my children everything I didn't have growing up. But it kinda disappeared when I became a Nighthunter. The busy schedule, the dangerous life... it's not very family oriented."

Lysimachus switched positions, lying on top of Katherine and looking directly into her eyes.

"What about now?" He asked.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I must confess it would be cute to have a baby with your eyes and your gorgeous hair."

Smiling broadly, he remembered watching the research sessions in Raines Corporation laboratories. They were searching for the first vampire-human couple to test the serum. That seemed to be the perfect opportunity.

"Would you like to try for a baby too? Like soon?"


	16. Epilogue (Part II)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:  
> \- My apologies for taking so long to update this fanfic. My grandmother passed away a few weeks ago after a long battle against kidney disease and her death has completely devasted me. My mental health has really declined ever since and writing these fics is the only thing that still keeps me going. I can’t wait to share the final parts of this Epilogue with you, as well as the rest of Thicker Than Water and my first F!SamxMC fanfic. Thank you for sticking around.  
> \- I kept their children’s names the same as my previous fics, Parenthood, Jaded and Bloodline. However, this fic is NOT related to any of them.

**Kamilah**

For the next couple of weeks, Amy was extremely anxious, counting on the calendar the days until they were able to confirm the results of the procedure. Kamilah focused on working at her company, while trying to remain as calm as possible.

Deep down, she had her own fears and insecurities about becoming a mother. She never had much patience to look after children, any kind of them, vampire or mortal. Countless were the times she considered staking Marcel Lafayette herself, when Gaius first Turned him and he was taken to live in their castle. That kid couldn't keep his mouth shut or stay away from trouble.

"Do you think I look any different?" Amy paced around the office, staring down at her abdomen. "I haven't felt any symptoms yet but when a friend of mine got pregnant, everyone said she _irradiated_ it somehow."

Kamilah dropped her pen for a second and looked up, raising an eyebrow at her wife.

"You don't think so," Amy sighed. "Do you?"

"I think you should slow down and breathe. You've been acting too hyperactive."

"Oh, Marisa from the reception also told me I look prettier lately. And I'm sure it's not because of my new hair or my new visual, I've been wearing it since we returned."

The female vampire stood up and embraced her wife, in an attempt to make her stop moving so frantically around the room.

"Amy," she applied some pressure on the girl's shoulders, "tonight we're taking the test. Save some energy for the moment, my love."

"I suppose you're right," Amy took a deep breath, enjoying the massage. "I just need to distract myself with other things."

"Go shopping. Buy yourself something nice and wear it for me to appreciate when I get home."

"Great idea."

Amy pressed a quick kiss on her lips and grabbed her purse, disappearing through the elevator doors. The realization of the upcoming event finally struck. In a few hours, they'd confirm if Amy was indeed pregnant. Kamilah had no idea on the details of how the serum worked, but they certainly had invested a lot of time on trying for a child. The effects lasted for days, giving her the most intense and passionate days of her long life.

" _I should see Adrian,_ " Kamilah thought.

At Raines Corporation she and Adrian sat down at the conference room for a drink, while she confessed him all of her doubts.

"I can't even take care of newly Turned vampires, how am I supposed to raise a child?"

"You'll learn with time. It isn't so terrifying as it appears."

"Adrian," she rolled her eyes, "I'm _very_ old. I won't have the energy to be a parent."

"This new experience will make you feel young again," Adrian paused for a second, lost in thoughts. "When Charles was born I had these same fears, you know? He was so tiny the first time I held him I was afraid I'd break him or something."

Having children was a sensitive subject to be spoken with her best friend. Kamilah could feel the melancholy, the pain in Adrian's voice whenever he mentioned his son.

"I'm sorry you couldn't see him growing up. I feel bad for sharing my anxiety about being a mother when you lost your baby."

"Please, don't. I'm really happy for you and Amy, this baby will be very special to me. It's almost like he or she carries a part of me too."

"I'm sure of it, brother," Kamilah placed a hand on Adrian's shoulder. "You'll be an uncle as much as Lysimachus."

"So I guess it's time for the big night, huh?" Adrian looked at the watch on his wrist.

"Wish me luck."

Kamilah followed to her penthouse, where Amy was waiting for her with a new dress she bought especially for the occasion. She pressed her lips on hers, involving her in a fiery and hot kiss. Her tongue softly gliding over Amy's lower lip, while her hands stroked her side, cherishing every inch of that beautiful body.

"Hey," Amy giggled as Kamilah's mouth descended to her neck. "Save some for later!"

"I still have plenty of kisses and touches for our celebration."

"Okay so... are you ready?"

"Yes. Are you?"

The girl grabbed Kamilah's hand and took her to the master suite, where a small box was placed on the bed. Together they read the pregnancy test instructions cautiously and Amy followed to the bathroom to perform the required steps.

"And now we wait," she said when she returned. "Around three minutes."

"Yes," Kamilah check down her watch, her eyes not missing a single movement of the hands. Suddenly it seemed to be ticking slower than usual, only increasing the tension inside her chest.

"How are you feeling?" Amy's voice brought her back to reality. "I mean, about the possibility of being a mom."

"I-I... At the same time I feel incredibly excited, I'm also drowning in fear. In fact, I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life before."

"So am I. Until a few months ago I felt so secure about being a mom and then Rheya came, my powers exploded and everything became so uncertain."

Kamilah didn't know very well what to say. She checked the watch again. Two minutes had passed. In only one minute, she could receive the news that would change her life forever.

For some reason, the day Cleopatra declared her as a nomarch came to her mind. She earned that title after many arguments and fights. Kamilah and her cousin were in a constant war against each other for their divergent opinions and views. For this reason, the nomination was quite unexpected. A surprise she and Lysimachus celebrated for days. For many centuries, she considered that the most important day of her life.

"I know it wasn't really your goal in life," Amy broke the silence.

"No, not at first," Kamilah gazed deeply into her eyes. "But it became my goal when we decided to do this together. I believe we'll make a beautiful family."

She pressed her forehead against Amy's for a few seconds, before the girl's cell phone alarm started beeping.

"Okay, time of the truth."

Amy stood up and entered the bathroom. Kamilah inhaled deeply, preparing herself for that moment. She suddenly felt comfortable about the idea. She started to imagine another little creature, beside her wife and their cat, irradiating energy and life through the penthouse. For a long time that place was empty and lonely, so much that she'd rather to spend most of her time at Ahmanet Financial. Now, since Amy entered her life, it was finally becoming full and cozy.

The bathroom door opened and Amy returned to the suite. There was no expression of joy or excitement on her face. She looked like she was about to cry. Not saying anything, she handed Kamilah the test. On the digital display she read: " _Not pregnant_ ".

"Amy..."

"Maybe it wasn't mean to be, right?"

Kamilah approached her wife on bed and pulled her close to her body. When Amy rested her head on her shoulder, the female vampire felt as she began to sob.

"No, it doesn't mean anything," she stroked the girl's hair, trying to bring some comfort. "We can try again soon."

"I was so sure," Amy cried. "I swear I could feel it, that I was really pregnant."

" _Me too,_ " Kamilah thought. Maybe her intuitions were getting weaker after living for so long. Or she got mistaken, facing an entire new situation. She couldn't admit or even show it, but in her heart, she felt an intense sorrow.

She took a day off to dedicate herself exclusively to cheer Amy up. After taking her to have breakfast in her favorite place, Kamilah suggested taking a walk around the streets of New York. Spring was the female vampire's favorite season to visit the Central Park and its landscapes. As usual, she took her camera to photograph different species of trees and flowers. For her surprise and amusement, Amy was very interested to help.

"What is this one you just photographed?" She asked, pointing to the camera screen.

"This is _Sanguinaria canadensis_ , or Bloodroot," Kamilah explained. "It's called like this because of its red poisonous sap. You can't really tell by these delicate white petals, huh?"

"Yeah, it sorta remind me of myself. And these powers I carry through my bloodline."

"This species was also be used by Natives to cure many health conditions. It can also be used for good, as your own powers."

Amy was thinking of her answer for a moment. Then, Kamilah pulled the camera to capture another picture.

" _Dodecatheon meadia_ ," the girl spoke in anticipation. "Also known as Shooting Star."

"Huh, where did it came from?" Kamilah asked, curious.

"I must confess I've been studying a little. For you. You're turning me into a plant nerd!"

The female vampire let out a laugh, before wrapping an arm around her wife's waist and place a kiss on her cheek.

"I love you even more for that."

For the rest of the day, they were able to leave the frustration behind. In fact, that negative experience only brought them even closer.

* * *

**Amy**

"I can do this, I can do this..." Amy repeated to herself, while rubbing off her temples. Not even the meditation techniques she learned in Japan were able to help her in that moment.

It was the day the ' _Lily Spencer Youth Center_ ' would be opening its doors to the public, and literally everything was going wrong since she woke up.

An emergency meeting required Kamilah's presence at Ahmanet Financial, she wouldn't be able to be there for her. Not that she actually needed her wife's constant presence, but looking at Kamilah often brought her a strength she wasn't able to find anywhere else. Everytime she looked at the woman she married to, she felt inspired and confident. She remembered everything the female vampire went through, how she was able to overcome her traumas, her pain and become such a successful woman.

"No..." the girl complained, holding her stomach. "Not again."

Being so nervous about that special event, she also had been feeling nauseous for the last few days. Everytime she started to plan her speech or even think about that occasion, her stomach would start to twist. She had spent most time of the last few hours locked inside the bathroom. She wasn't able to keep down a single bloodbag, what was making her feel a little bloodlust.

"Amy?" Kamilah knocked the door. "Is everything okay?"

Amy finished applying her make-up and opened the door.

"Y-Yes," she lied. She couldn't let Kamilah know about her state. She didn't want to appear like a damsel in distress when her wife had such an important business meeting. "I'm a little bit anxious, that's all."

"I promise I'll try to make it as quick as possible. But hey, everyone else will be there and... you can do this, Amy. Lily would be very proud of you. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks. And don't worry about me okay, just kick ass at your meeting."

"I will," Kamilah smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead. Amy sighed and followed her to the elevator, before parting different ways.

The Youth Center's opening was a huge success, the building was completely crowded by young people, journalists and even a few celebrities that accepted to attend and help to promote the place. Before a special screening of _Bloodbound_ , Amy got up on the stage for her speech.

"When I came to New York, Lily and I connected instantly. From the moment I saw her I knew we'd be best friends," she started. She couldn't say anything about that place before talking about the person who inspired it. "Lily was a total dork, ridiculously funny and the most amazing friend I could ever dream of. Even in our darkest moments, she brought joy to our lives with her jokes."

Amy stopped to wipe off a fear tears. In that day she was feeling more emotional than the usual. She had to control control herself to not sob.

"She was also incredibly talented and smart. Her biggest passions included video games and coding, this is why we decided to gather it all in one place. The Youth Center is not only a place to have fun or to learn, but also a safe heaven. A safe heaven to all those kids who have been left aside or rejected. You're not alone. Here we're all together, we all belong. For Lily!"

The after party was the moment Amy had been longing for since her arrival. Her speech had an incredible reaction, the whole crowd broke into claps and whistles, the video was already trending on the internet. Now, she could finally sit down and breathe, ready to consume some synthetic blood.

"Hey, girl," Katherine joined her. "Amazing speech out there. I didn't have time to meet Lily so well, but she certainly deserves all of this."

"Thanks," Amy grinned. "And now we should start planning the next big event of the year," she pointed to the ring on the Nighthunter's finger.

" _Small_. We'll be doing something small. Signing the papers and throwing a small gathering in our apartment."

"But... I'm an expert at throwing parties. Kamilah even trusts me the Dark Solstice's arrangement every year now."

"We won't have too many guests," Katherine grabbed a snack from a waitress' tray. "Lysimachus is so social as I am."

The smell of that tiny bit of food entered Amy's nose, enhanced by her vampire senses, and suddenly, the sickness returned in a violent mode. The girl held her stomach and rushed to the bathroom, where she expelled every single ounce of blood she attempted to consume.

"Are you okay?" Katherine followed her, worried. "I mean, vampires aren't supposed to be sick. Unless you got poisoned or something."

"I don't think so," Amy answered, washing her face. "But I've been so stressed about the event and my speech that I started vomiting and feeling dizzy. It has been like three days now."

The Nighthunter stared at her for a moment, raising an eyebrow. A small smirk appeared in the corners of her mouth.

"Oh."

"What?"

"You're pregnant."

"No," Amy sighed. "We didn't tell anyone but, I took a test last week. It came back negative."

"These things can be wrong, you know?" Katherine told. "Especially when you're too early on the pregnancy. You should take another test."

Amy was hesitant at first, then she agreed to go with Katherine to the nearest pharmacy and buy a pregnancy test. They returned to the Youth Center's bathroom, where she breathed in and out while waiting for the results.

"It's time to check," Katherine checked the time on her cell phone.

"I can't. I'm too nervous," Amy shook her head. "Would you do it for me?"

The Nighthunter agreed. She grabbed the stick, narrowing her eyes as she stared at the display, not saying a single word. Amy knew what that meant.

"I told you. I'm not pregnant, only stressed."

"No, sweetheart. You _are_."

"Wait... what?"

"You're carrying Sayeed's heir in your womb."

She grabbed the test from Katherine's hands confirming what she was saying. This time the display showed a positive result. Tears of joy formed inside her eyes. She and Kamilah were having a baby.

With Katherine's help, Amy planned the cutest manner she could think of to deliver the news to Kamilah. The female vampire came home a little bit late at night, she had a tired but peaceful look on her face.

"Finally," Amy pressed a tender kiss on her lips. "How was the meeting?"

"Complicated, but we managed to close the deal," Kamilah wrapped her arms around Amy's neck. "I couldn't wait to be with you."

" _We_ couldn't wait for you to be home too."

" _We_?"

"Oh, I bought you a gift. A little something for closing the most important deal of your life, you know?"

"But it wasn't the most important..."

Amy interrupted by handing Kamilah a package, wrapped for present.

"You have a lot of books in your collection, but not this one."

Kamilah unwrapped the package carefully, a little bit intrigued and also curious. As she read the title, her eyes went wide in surprise.

" _What To Expect When You're Expecting_. Amy... are you..."

The girl didn't say anything, her emotions wouldn't let the words come out. Once the tears started falling they just wouldn't stop. She handed her wife the test she took earlier that day.

"Oh my god," Kamilah fell completely silent too. Her brown eyes filled with tears as she pulled Amy closer to her body. "We're having a child."

* * *

**Lysimachus**

" _What?!_ " was Katherine's only answer to his question. Althought she seemed to be excited over their incoming marriage, she still thought the idea of having a baby this soon was absurd, crazy and even reckless. They both spent too much time on their careers and lived surrounded by the supernatural. That would never end well.

" _Maybe she's right,_ " Lysimachus thought. He glanced at the clock. Katherine had gone out with Amy in the middle of the party and hadn't returned yet.

After a couple of minutes the door opened in a burst. His girlfriend, followed by Amy and Kamilah came inside. His sister was bringing a bottle of champagne and had a smile on her face he had never seen before. Not even when she became a nomarch, or even when she got married.

"Wow, Kamilah is smiling. What's the occasion?" Lysimachus asked, surprised. "What are we celebrating?"

"Brother," Kamilah wrapped her arms around him, which was even stranger and very unusual, "you'll be an uncle."

He embraced his twin sister back, not being able to hold his emotions. Amy joined them for the group hug. Then, Katherine showed him the video she managed to record on her cell phone, when Kamilah received the news.

That was one of the happiest nights of their lives, so much that they decided to extend the celebration. Kamilah ordered more bottles of the special champagne and even Adrian and Jax joined them for that moment. The sun was starting to rise when it ended. Though Lysimachus was exhausted, he couldn't stop thinking about his future nephew or niece.

"Screw it," Katherine made a sudden and unexpected move, straddling him on the bed. "Let's do it."

"What..." she interrupted Lysimachus with a hot, fierce kiss, "are you talking about?"

"Let's have a baby too. It may be the fancy champagne speaking but jeez... I was hiding when I recorded that video and I cried like a bitch. I cried, can you believe that?"

"Why don't we discuss it in a few hours? When you're less... drunk."

"I mean it, I'm not the kind who admit it but I want what Amy and Kamilah have. I guess everybody does. For so long I felt lonely, empty and now I have a home with you. I want a family too."

Lysimachus didn't expect it to last until they woke up, but then, a few days later they were waiting at Adrian's office, ready to have the procedure done.

"I want you both to read the contract carefully," Adrian told. "The serum was never tested in a vampire-human couple before. It'll be the very first time. Katherine may experience some side effects."

"What kind of them?" Lysimachus wanted to know. "If it's too dangerous, we're giving up."

"First and foremost, it's based on the Tree's blood. Though its potential has been minimized and used for the purpose of creating life only, we don't know its interaction with a mortal's body."

"Rheya has fed me her blood back at the auction," Katherine remembered. "Nothing happened. I didn't feel any different."

"Okay. But we still have another potential issue here. The vampire gene is dominant, especially mixed with the Tree's blood," Adrian explained." The chances this child will inherit Katherine's mortality is zero. And then, I have no other way to put it, we may have a _Breaking Dawn_ situation here."

"Care to elaborate?" Lysimachus furrowed his brows. "I never passed _New Moon_. That was too much for me."

"The baby would start feeding from my blood," for his surprise, Katherine was the one to answer. "It could be potentially lethal."

The two male vampires stared at her in silence.

"I'm not a fan, just saying. Ava forced me to read the books when we were teenagers."

"So," Adrian handed them a pen, "are you still proceeding with the serum?"

Losing Katherine wasn't a risk Lysimachus was willing to take. They both agreed to continue with the procedure, under the condition they'd terminate the pregnancy if it started to affect the Nighthunter's health.

After that, they flew to New Orleans using one of Raines Corporation private jets. During the whole trip, Lysimachus was silent and lost in his thoughts. He never thought he'd ever become a dad at his 2066 years of age. It was a surprise he never fathered any children by accident back in Egypt. Besides his good looks, he was also part of the nobility, what meant that rare were the nights where his bed was empty. He could've easily gotten married, but like Kamilah, bringing peace to his people was his main priority. After he was Turned, having a child became something impossible and forgotten. Until now.

"Why did you want to come here again?" Lysimachus asked once they arrived at Katherine's penthouse.

"Darling, we're making a supernatural baby," she grinned. "NOLA's magic will totally be in our favor. I even stole this bottle from Garrus personal collection, it's supposed to increase the fertility."

He wasn't sure if it was the liquor she stole, or even the serum alone, but the night was intense. After having dinner, they were together on the couch watching a movie. Horror movies would always make them bored, maybe because the supernatural situations they were always facing exposed how fake and silly those cliche plots could be.

Katherine pushed him on his back and straddled him. She started kissing him fiercely, nibbling on his lower lip and digging her nails on his scalp. It was one of the days she wanted to be _'mean'_ and Lysimachus didn't complain. He absolutely loved those days.

**\- MxF smut scene -**

She started to take off his clothes, leaving a trail of kisses from his neck until he stomach. Then she unbuttoned his jeans, lowering herself to where he wanted her the most.

"Katherine..." Lysimachus moaned, completely overwhelmed by pleasure. The swirls and strokes of her tongue were driving him close to his peak.

She suddenly stopped, looking at him maliciously.

"Why did you stop?"

"You're not working hard enough to earn it."

"Oh really?" His eye flashed red and, using his vampire strength and speed, he drove them both to the bedroom in a fraction of second.

"Now it's getting interesting," Katherine spoke as Lysimachus pinned her on the bed, holding her wrists above her head. He devoured her mouth in a feverish kiss, before moving to her jawline and earlobe. "Give me all that you've got."

In a rushed and rough manner, he quickly get rid of all the pieces of clothes that were still in his way. Then, he positioned himself between her legs, raising a gasp as he started moving forward.

"Oh my god..." Katherine muffled her moans by biting hard on his neck.

"I thought I was the vampire here," Lysimachus joked. "But it's good to know how it feels."

She wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him even closer. He continued to move against her, until they both collapsed in ecstasy.

And that was only the first time. For the next couple of days they couldn't stay away from each other, having some wild and crazy moments of pleasure.

**\- End of MxF smut scene -**

The results came a few weeks later, when Lysimachus entered his office in Raines Corporation after a meeting and a strange envelope was waiting for him on his desk. He opened it and started reading. The increased hormone levels in Katherine's blood could only mean one thing, they had a baby on the way.

* * *

**Kamilah**

After receiving the news of Amy's pregnancy, the weeks flew by. Kamilah was going through experiences and feelings that were completely new to her, like the anxiety of their first ultrasound, the surprise of finding out they were expecting twins and the joy of hearing their heartbeats for the first time.

Her penthouse had already started to change, with the approximation of Amy's due date, they prepared a very cozy nursery for the babies. And she also made sure to made every corner of the place safe for children, to avoid any accidents when they started growing up. Her children weren't the only that would be running around that place and causing a fuss in the next few years, Kamilah also received the news she'd become an aunt. Her brother Lysimachus was also expecting twins with his fiancée.

Recently, they had discovered the gender of both of the babies. They decided to announce these news to family and friends during a baby shower, an event Kamilah planned every detail and hired many employees to take care of, after all she couldn't let her eight months pregnant wife handle all the work.

"Okay..." she caught Amy secretly rearranging part of the decoration for the third time. Nothing she did was able to keep that girl quiet and resting, she was always moving around and doing all sorts of things. "This will look better... here. Don't you think, babe?"

Kamilah cocked her head to the side, trying to figure out how it could be looking different from the previous arrangements Amy had made.

"It does," she agreed. Messing up with Amy's raging hormones was the last thing she wanted. "It's perfect. Now you should sit down and wait for the guests. You're 32 weeks pregnant, you shouldn't be doing so much effort."

"Awww, I love when you get so overprotective of your kids."

Amy cupped her face between her hands and pressed a kiss on Kamilah's lips.

"And it includes you. You're such a cheeky and silly kid."

The female vampire placed a hand over her wife's belly, feeling as the twins moved energetic. At least one of them seemed to have inherited their younger mom's hyperactive personality.

Shortly later, Lysimachus arrived to the party in the company of Katherine. She and Amy had grown a lot closer, by sharing experiences, insecurities and going shopping together.

"Kamilah, it's strange," Kamilah's brother joined her in the kitchen when the guests started to arrive. "I'm the only man here."

"Relax," she served him a hidden dose of gin. "Adrian and Jax will be here soon. As well as your friends from New Orleans."

"Can you believe that? We'll both be parents around the same time. This is just like we always wanted, back when we were young."

"To be honest, brother, I'm freaking out."

Kamilah told her brother about the parenting classes Amy had been forcing her to attend. Not only they failed every test, but also got expelled after one of her daggers fell from her pocket in the middle of the class.

"Don't laugh," she scolded Lysimachus. "Amy cried for days. She made me promise I'll get rid of the daggers when they babies come."

"If that helps," he told, "Katherine has forbidden me to read any pregnancy books or to download apps that compare our babies' current size to the most diverse stuff."

"How is she doing?" Kamilah asked, knowing her sister in law faced some challenges in the beginning of her pregnancy that almost caused a miscarriage.

"She's great. After Adrian started giving her monthly doses of the Tree's blood she no longer felt weak or anything."

Once all the guests arrived, it was time for the games and activities. Kamilah mostly watched from a distance while her wife had fun with her family and friends. First, she guessed what each one of the gifts were. Most them, not knowing about her psychic abilities, were shocked about how she guessed everything right. Then, they made a list of predictions for the babies and name suggestions.

"Well, now it's the time everyone has been waiting for," Amy announced. "Gender reveal!"

She popped the first balloon. Pink confetti falling all over her head.

"It's a girl."

She passed Kamilah the pin. Her balloon revealed some blue confetti, indicating the second baby was a boy. The guests all came to hug and congratulate them, even Amy's mom that so far had kept her distant posture. She probably wasn't thrilled to know her grandchildren were vampires.

"Darling, your son must honor our family's tradition," she said. "He must carry his grandfather's name."

"For god's sake, Judith," Amy's father protested. "Robert 'Bob' Sayeed? It doesn't even fit. He needs a name like... _Amenophis_. To honor his origins."

Amy's mother let out an horrified shout. Before the argument could get heated, Kamilah discreetly walked away. They already had names in mind for their children. Names they picked together.

In the kitchen, Lysimachus was grinning ear to ear and holding the bottle of gim.

"Hey," Kamilah frowned. "Keep that out of sight. Amy said no alcohol in the baby shower!"

"We're having two boys!" He squeezed her tightly. Kamilah could sense her brother was a little bit drunk. "I'm having two sons, sister. I can't wait to teach them everything father taught me."

"Congratulations. Where's your fiancée, by the way?"

"I... I don't know. Isn't she on the living room?"

"No."

"Shit."

Kamilah shook her head, wondering if fatherhood would make her twin finally mature a bit. She went to her office where she opened the secret safe on her desk, retrieving an item wrapped inside a piece of cloth. It didn't matter Lysimachus was having two boys, that small wooden horse was still hers. Maybe she could even give it to her daughter someday. She grinned mischievously. If he wanted it back, he'd have to find and steal it.

* * *

**Amy**

A lot had changed in Amy's life now she was pregnant. Her body, her hormones and her mood, especially her mood. At the same time she was feeling loving and affectionate, she often had this inner desire to murder whoever gave suggestions about how she should raise her children, and then cried for hours straight, picturing what would happen to them if she went to jail.

In the beginning, she was constantly hungry and horny too. The early weeks of pregnancy did wonders in her sex life with Kamilah. They'd have sex in the most random places and situations, in the office, at the restaurant's bathroom or in her parents' house. The danger of being right under her mother's nose, at the risk of getting caught, turned her on more than anything.

"Oh, enjoy it while you can," her aunt teased when they left her old bedroom with messed up hair and wrinkled clothes. "It won't happen so often in the next years, until they leave for college."

That thought made her suddenly burst in tears while she devoured a huge bowl of ice cream, with all the possible sprinkles and toppings she could find in the kitchen. Would Kamilah still love her the same after the babies were born? Would she grow bored and seek the company of other women for pleasure?

"Amy," Kamilah appeared in the living room, wearing her night robe. "What happened? Are you in pain again?"

"No," she sniffed her nose and wiped off some tears. "I'm okay."

"You're not," her wife sat down by Amy's side on the couch, pulling her close to her body. "What is going on?"

"Will you still love me the same after the babies are born?"

"Of course."

"Even if my body doesn't go back to normal?"

"Yes."

"Even if we aren't able to ever have sex again?"

"Sure."

"Won't you get a fling, in case you get bored of me?"

"Amy..." Kamilah placed a small and delicate kiss on her forehead. "I love you and I always will. No matter what. I could never leave you for somebody else."

"What if I die?" That thought suddenly occurred Amy. She had never considered that possibility so far. "You are not marrying Aiko! She'd probably send my children to a boarding school or lock them in a dungeon."

"Your silly thing," the female vampire let out a small laugh. "You're not dying. And I wouldn't marry anyone, especially Aiko, in case it happens, okay?"

"You promise?"

"Yes."

Amy went back to what she was doing before her wife joined. Inside two boxes, she placed two envelopes.

"What are you doing?" Kamilah asked curious.

"Some sort of time capsule," Amy explained. "For them to open when they're older and read about how freaked out I was during the days that preceded their birth."

"This is cute, in this case I'll be adding a letter too."

Amy had already fallen asleep when Kamilah finished writing her letters. It was the first time she could actually sleep in days. She couldn't find a comfortable position in bed but now, being so cozy on her wife's chest, she was finally able to rest.

However, when she woke up, she was consumed by an intense pain. It was like she was being stabbed, multiple times, on her abdomen, on her lower back, on her spine... everywhere. The pain was accompanied by a pressure so intense that she was afraid she going to explode.

"Kamilah!" She shouted. "Wake up! Now!"

"What?!" Her wife jumped out from the couch, scared and confused. Her eyes went wide as she looked at Amy. "Oh my god... your... your water has broke. W-we need to go to the hospital right now. And... I'm calling Adrian and picking up the bags."

Amy had never seen Kamilah so lost and nervous before. Nothing in the world would shake that woman's confidence, but motherhood made her so insecure as any other being. The time between their penthouse and the hospital seemed endless. The fact her wife would stop paying attention to the streets to stare at her, pale as a ghost, was making her even angrier.

"How are you feeling?" Kamilah asked for what seemed to be the hundredth time.

"HOW DO YOU THINK?" Amy yelled loud. She suddenly felt her dark powers were beginning to resurface. "LIKE I'M DYING. NOT EVEN WHEN I ACTUALLY DIED IT HURT THIS BADLY."

"I'm sorry, Amy. I-I... just take deep breaths, okay? Like we learned at the classes."

She started repeating the breathing exercises, trying to get Amy to mimic them. The girl could swear her eyes were about to glow like two fire balls again.

"It's easy for you to say, Kamilah. You're not the one feeling like your uterus will be torn apart."

"Okay... you're right. I won't say anything else. I promise."

Kamilah's next move made Amy sure she'd bring Goddess Phampira back, before her children came to the world. She pulled a bottle of vodka from under the driver's seat, taking a long sip.

"I can't honestly believe you brought booze to your children's birth," Amy shook her head in disbelief. "And you're already drinking it."

"I'm sorry," Kamilah apologized, a little embarrassed. "I'm too nervous and alcohol usually helps me to calm down."

Amy's Bloodkeeper intuition told her there was more booze in the trunk, for a celebration later. Before she could unleash her rage at her wife, they arrived at the hospital.

After moments of agonizing pain, their baby girl was the first one to make it to this world. The feeling of hearing her cry or seeing her face for the first time was something Amy couldn't describe. Only a few minutes later, their baby boy was also in her arms. For the first time in her life, Amy's heart felt complete. She'd have a family. A real family, purely based on love, respect and trust.

When she woke up after a deserved rest, the vision in front of her made her forget all the pain and chaos she experienced during labor. Kamilah was standing in a corner of the bedroom, rocking one of the twins in her arms.

"You're so perfect," she spoke low and soft. "The most perfect thing I've ever made."

"Well, but you didn't make it by yourself," Amy smiled.

Kamilah approached bringing their baby girl with her. It was the first time Amy was able to properly look at her daughter.

"Amaya Lily Sayeed. She's so gorgeous."

"And a little ball of chaotic energy, just like you. She hasn't slept for a moment since the nurse brought them."

Amy let out a laugh, taking the little girl from Kamilah's arms. Just then, their son started to cry. The female vampire held him, bringing him close to the rest of the family.

"And here's Malik," Kamilah told. "The king of our family."

The boy was way more calm than his sister, but equally beautiful. They were a perfect mix of both of their moms. The feeling of that moment made Amy shed some emotional tears.

"I love you," she whispered to Kamilah.

"I love you too."

* * *

**Lysimachus**

While Lysimachus was doing his best to learn about parenthood, he still couldn't quite understand when Katherine freaked out at the baby shower. The pregnancy made her freak out very often and about everything, but this time in particular had him really intrigued.

He found his fiancée on the bedroom of their apartment. She was crying while holding an old cell phone model in hands.

"Hey," Lysimachus softly stroked her shoulder, "what happened? You just disappeared before we even got to serve the cake."

"Sorry," she wiped off some tears from her face and rolled her eyes. "I've been an emotional wreck lately."

"It's normal. The book I was reading said..."

"No. Don't say that, please."

Katherine's aversion to any kind of information about pregnancy made Lysimachus question if he was indeed obsessed over those books, like she claimed. Even Kamilah censored him when he started giving too much facts.

"I'm sorry," he sat down by her side, glancing at phone's screen.

"Ava," she told before Lysimachus could ask any questions. "It's my old phone, from the time she died. There's a lot of pictures and conversations. We always said we both would have daughters and they'd grow up together being best friends too, just like us and our moms. It obviously wouldn't be the same, but when Amy told me she was expecting a girl I thought I still could have it somehow."

"And then you found out we're having two boys."

"Please, don't take this the wrong way. I'm happy and I already love them but..."

"You wanted a girl," Lysimachus wrapped his arms around Katherine and kissed the top of her head. He always knew about her inner desire of having a daughter, she never tried to hide it.

"I was kinda sure we'd have one," she confessed. "I keep having those strange dreams where I have a baby girl in my arms."

"Maybe someday we will. We can try having a girl in a couple of years, this is totally fine for me. I've always wanted a big family."

"Me too, as only child I always felt a little bit lonely."

Katherine kept looking at the pictures in her old phone's gallery. She stopped at one from the day she left for Brown University, where she was in the company of her parents. After that, she pressed the button to turn it off.

"I'm having a lot of nightmares too, I'm starting to feel scared. Do you think the boys are okay?"

Being a vampire father had its perks, Lysimachus rested his head against Katherine's belly listening to the two quick and strong heartbeats inside her womb.

"I think they're great," he concluded, feeling as the babies started moving.

Meeting his sister's twins got him even more anxious, and also terrified, about his own children. But Lysimachus didn't have much time to prepare himself, only two weeks later, Katherine started feeling contractions. Adrian asked them to rush to the hospital.

"Oh shit," he began to pace around the room, "I'm hyperventilating. I... I think I'm going to pass out."

"Please, recompose yourself," Katherine angered. "Is this the first sight you want your children to have from you?"

"Okay..."

Lysimachus took a deep breath and stood by his fiancées side. She squeezed his hand tight as she started to push. He couldn't imagine a mortal had so much strength. He could swear his bones broke and healed for about three times.

His mind started to dissociate. It always happened when he felt too stressed. Flashbacks started to replay in front of his eyes, he saw himself at the Roman prison again. He was in a miserable state. At one point, the injuries, the torture and the humiliation were too much and he started praying for his death. Instead, Gaius turned him and granted him a life of immortality. For centuries he hated it, he couldn't accept it and now...

Lysimachus felt he was where he was always supposed to be. Had him stayed a mortal, he'd have never witnessed this moment.

"Congratulations, sir," the nurse handed him a tiny little boy, still covered in blood. He cried at the top of his lungs.

"Oh my god," Lysimachus smiled, too emotional for words. He quickly showed Katherine the baby.

"34 weeks inside me..." she complained through shallow, pained breaths, "and they'll look exactly like you."

She was right. Baby Kaleb had inherited everything from his dad. Lysimachus started to laugh. About five minutes later, his twin brother also came to the world and they were identical.

Right after concluding Katherine and the babies were fine and healthy, he went to the waiting room, where Kamilah was anxiously longing for news. They hugged each other and celebrated. Lysimachus proudly showed her the babies' pictures on his phone.

"Congratulations, brother," his sister patted his shoulder. "They're beautiful."

But he should have known. Dreams should never be ignored. Hours after giving birth, Katherine wouldn't wake up. Her vitals also became a little unstable. As Adrian entered the room, he felt his chest tightening.

"Her exam results are worrying," he said. "She's too weak and the medication isn't being effective. Do you authorize if I feed her one last sample of the Tree's blood?"

"Yes," Lysimachus replied without any hesitation. "Whatever it takes. I just need her to be okay."

"If she dies..."

"I know."


	17. Epilogue (Part III)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Once again I must apologize for taking so long to update this fic. As I mentioned previously, I'm going through the hardest time of my life. 40 days after losing my grandmother, I also lost my grandfather in a very tragic manner. Thank you for being patient and sticking with me.  
> \- Trigger Warning (angst, death, blood) / N**W Alert (FxF)

**Lysimachus**

"I came to you because I didn't know who else to talk to," Lysimachus threw himself on the couch at the lounge of Ahmanet Financial's rooftop. The same place where he and Kamilah were reunited only three years earlier, what made it feel somewhat safer than the rest of the city. "You're the only one I really trust, sister."

"I don't know what to say," Kamilah stared at the bottom of her glass of whiskey. "How's that even possible?"

That was the question everyone had been asking for the last few hours.

After receiving one last sample of the Tree's blood, Katherine's health was completely restored. One day later, she was already discharged from the hospital together with the twins. Between new challenges of changing dirty diapers and making both of the boys fall asleep at the same time, they found a single moment for themselves.

It started with a few kisses, that progressed to touches and ended with them making love. With the complications she had early in the pregnancy, they hadn't been intimate for months. After making sure she was ready and completely healed from childbirth, Lysimachus didn't even try to resist her attempts. He was glad he didn't, because after that every single minute of their lives became fully dedicated to their sons, Kaleb and Zayden.

They had just turned three months old when Katherine had an appointment with her doctor. Only a routine check-up to confirm her well-being after the pregnancy. Lysimachus was surprised when he got called to an emergency meeting at Raines Corporation' laboratories and his fiancée was there, in the company of doctors and scientists.

"This will sound completely crazy and absurd," her voice was crackling in anxiety. "In fact I don't even know how to tell you this... I'm pregnant again."

"But how? It's not even possible."

This was what every member of the research team said. There was no logical explanation for Katherine's pregnancy, unless Lysimachus was not the father this time. That statement, as well as the indiscreet questions she was made, caused the Nighthunter to burst in tears and leave the building.

Confused, Lysimachus went to sister for advice.

"Do you think she has cheated on you?" Kamilah asked.

"I'm sure she didn't," he answered without hesitations. "We're getting married next month, I trust her completely."

Kamilah didn't know what to say or even think. She decided to not assume anything, upon such a strange occurrence.

Everyone in his position would be questioning their partners' loyalty, but Lysimachus didn't. He knew Katherine was telling the truth, she'd never do that to him and especially to their kids. She was the most amazing mother to the boys. She hated leaving them under the care of a nanny, even if it was only for a couple of hours. She didn't want to absent and distant, as her own parents were.

When Lysimachus got home, she was in their bedroom playing with baby Kaleb.

"Zayden has finally gotten asleep," she said. "I didn't want Kaleb to wake him up."

"Oh, you're telling me our wild child has finally ran out of batteries after not sleeping for like three days in a row?" Lysimachus joked. His sons were completely different from each other, despite their identical looks. While Kaleb was quiet and well-behaved, his twin was the opposite.

"I don't expect you to believe me. If you want, I can find somewhere else to live. However, the boys are coming with me."

"What the hell are you saying? Of course I believe you. Katherine, I went back to the company and I saw the tests results. The conception date is the exact day we slept together."

"No one else does," tears started rolling from her eyes. "I never felt so exposed and humiliated before. Everyone thinks I've cheated on you and they keep pressuring me to admit it, so they can stop with all these tests."

"I'll fire whoever has done this to you," Lysimachus clenched his fists, enraged. "And I'll order the tests to be stopped myself. No one will be causing any more harm to my future wife and my daughter."

"What?"

"I thought you'd like to see this," he showed a paper with the results of one of the blood tests she was submitted to. "They found fragments of the baby's DNA in your blood. We're having a girl."

Katherine placed Kaleb on his stroller and hugged Lysimachus tightly. It was the first time in that terrible day he could see a smile on her face.

"I just want to make sure you're okay. You aren't feeling ill like the last time, are you?"

"No, I hadn't even had any symptoms yet."

Adrian went to the company in the next day to analyze the situation himself. He had only one possible explanation, the Tree's blood inside Katherine's body gave life to Lysimachus' biologically dead cells. After that event, every vampire-human couples had been temporarily excluded from the research. Not until they knew how the next few months would unfold.

* * *

**Amy**

"I'm not sure I can do this," Amy confessed with a tightness in her chest. "I feel like a monster."

Since the twins were born neither she or Kamilah had left them under somebody else's care. Whenever one of them had to go to work, or attend any other kind of obligation, the other would stay home watching over them. Multiple times they were told to hire a nanny, but none of them felt comfortable with the idea yet.

Lysimachus' wedding was the first time it'd actually happen. Both Amy and Kamilah had agreed they'd take the weekend for themselves, while her parents would baby-sit the twins.

"Amy, my heart aches as much as yours," Kamilah told. "But it's only for two days. It's not like we'll be far away, we'll be at the Hamptons' house."

"I don't trust my mom, okay? What if she has one of her meltdowns?"

"I'm pretty sure that at this point she's a little used being surrounded by vampires. And your father is here too."

That thought brought Amy some relief. She trusted her dad as much as she trusted Kamilah. Most of her childhood, he raised her by himself, taking care of her and keeping her distracted during her mom's ' _bad days_ '. The babies loved him too, he could make them laugh more than anybody else.

"I guess there's no excuse then," Amy sighed defeated. "Maybe one of us can come here and check out if they're okay, every once in a few hours."

"Amy," Kamilah placed her hands on the girl's shoulder, driving her to the elevator. "Let's not become one of those obsessive, controlling parents. It's not healthy, for us and for the babies."

She entered the car, letting out a frustrated moan while she opened the baby monitor app on her cell phone. The twins weren't in the nursery, they should be with her parents in the living room. Kamilah looked at her with a displeased look.

"Phone," she demanded, extending her hand. Amy handed her the cell phone, that she quickly turned off and placed along with hers inside the glove compartment.

Katherine had scheduled a SPA day in a luxurious hotel for the three of them, Ivy and Vera, another friend of hers from New Orleans. They'd stay there until next morning, when the wedding was supposed to take place at the beach.

"I couldn't wait for that," taking a glass of champagne was the first thing Amy did after placing her stuff in the room and wearing a robe. She drank it all in one sip.

"Don't make it look so pleasant," Katherine complained. "I'd kill for one of these."

All her plans for that day had been changed with the news of her second pregnancy. At first, she and Amy were planning a wild bachelorette party at the hottest dance club in New York.

"How is my future niece doing? And you?"

"She's doing great, moving a lot and making her mom hungry as a lion. You know, it's being a completely different experience from when I was pregnant with the boys. I can actually enjoy it. With them, it was like my body was rejecting their vampire nature and attempting to expel them."

They both rested on lounge chairs, while Kamilah relaxed in the swimming pool and the NOLA girls were in the sauna.

"Did you pick a name yet?" Amy asked curious. During Katherine's first pregnancy, they discussed and exchanged names all the time. For this one, she hadn't mentioned anything yet.

"Not really," she said. But Amy could sense there was something else in her voice. "Lysimachus suggested Isis or Nailah, but I guess I'll wait until she's born to decide."

"You don't seem excited about these names."

"Oh! No. I just... couldn't decide yet."

Amy's powers were speaking louder at the moment. Only looking at Katherine she knew exactly what her frustration was, and what she really wanted.

"She'd be happy," she assured. "Ava would love if you gave your daughter her name."

"I'm not sure. I already have so many moments where I get lost in these thoughts, I become distant and shut Lysimachus out. Is it fair to give him another reminder that my best friend's memory will always be between us somehow?"

"You should talk to him, but I'm sure he won't mind."

"Thank you for the advice, Amy."

"Anything for my niece."

When they finished talking, Kamilah was still at the swimming pool with her eyes closed. Amy had to take the chance, it was now or never. Sneaking out through the hotel emergency exit, she rushed to the garage as she was, wearing a bath robe and slippers. She entered the car and grabbed her cell phone inside the glove compartment.

"I don't have much time..." she dialed her mother's number. She didn't answer. A million of thoughts started running through Amy's mind. What if one of babies had gotten hurt somehow? What if any of their enemies kidnapped them? Aiko would never accept Kamilah had started a family with someone else. Her heart was already racing inside her chest, when her dad answered the phone. "Dad! I've been trying to call mom, but she didn't answer."

"Darling, she knew you'd obsess over the babies," her father said. "This is why she turned it off."

"I'm not obsessed, I'm worried. Did Malik feed? Oh, and Amaya, she has this purple monkey she won't sleep without. In case they start crying too much, we usually place them in the sane crib. It helps to calm them down."

Her dad hung up the phone and called her back, starting a video call. He was holding Amaya, while Malik was entertained with a new toy.

"Do we look like we're crying?" He spoke to Amy's baby daughter, who opened a smile and attempted to reach the phone with her tiny hand. "Tell her, Amaya. Tell mom she's a... _Momzilla_."

"Dad!" Amy protested. "I'm not, okay?! I just... I shouldn't have came."

"Yes, you should. This weekend should be dedicated to your wife, Amy. You have the babies now, but you two also deserve a moment to yourselves. You're still married and in love with each other. These two precious things wouldn't be here without this love."

"You're right. I'll try to freak out less, I promise. But if anything happens, call me and in the same moment..."

"Oh, what is that?!" Her father purposely handed Amaya his phone. "I'm sorry, honey. She just pressed the..."

Amy rolled her eyes when the video call ended. But he was right. Kamilah also deserved her attention, after all she was a caring and dedicated mom. But there was one thing that still bothered her. They hadn't had a single chance of getting intimate after the babies were born. Would it still be the same?

After pampering herself with everything the SPA package and the hotel restaurant had to offer, Kamilah took Amy to the outside area where they walked holding hands and observing the night sky.

"Ursa Major is one of the most ancient constellations in the sky," Kamilah explained while pointing to the stars. "it is most commonly taken to represent Callisto, a nymph Zeus fell in love with, whom his wife Hera turned into a bear."

"Badass! I'd have done the same. What about..." Amy tried to find another one of the constellations Kamilah had previously pointed, "that one?"

The female vampire was pensive for a moment, trying to remember the information she previously learned.

"Cassiopeia, wife of Cepheus and mother of Andromeda in Greek mythology. In contrast to other figures being placed in the sky in honor, Cassiopeia was forced to the heavenly realms as punishment. The story tells she boasted that her beauty was greater than any of the sea nymphs. This was considered quite an offense, and she was banned to the sky for all to gawk at."

"You really know your stuff, huh?!" Amy playfully elbowed her wife. "Was it another Kamilah infallible trick to seduce women back in the past?"

"Well, I admit they were quite impressed upon my knowledge, yes. And... right now there's one I'm trying to seduce."

Kamilah gazed deeply into her eyes, as her fingertips softly caressed Amy's cheeks and rested on her lips. Even after being married for two years, that look was still capable of leaving Amy breathless.

"Is it working?" Kamilah asked.

Amy didn't answer, instead she closed the distance between their mouths, sharing a long and passionate kiss. Kamilah's mouth traveled down to her neck, where she placed kisses and small bites.

"I want you so badly," Amy moaned, placing her hands on her wife's hips and pulling her closer to her body.

When Kamilah looked at her again, her eyes were maliciously red. In one impulse, she pressed Amy against the nearest wall, where she started devouring her mouth. As her hands moved under her dress, the girl already started feeling her knees becoming weaker.

"Kamilah... we're in a public area!"

She ignored the warning, moving her hands up to Amy's tights. Her touch finally reached Amy's center, stroking her through the fabric of her underwear.

"You're such a show off!" Amy laughed, trying to muffle her sounds.

"I enjoy letting people know you're mine," Kamilah nibbled on her lower lip while her fingers continued to work between Amy's legs. "And I love when you say that too."

"I'm yours. Only yours. Forever."

She knew those words were a major turn-on to the female vampire. Kamilah paused for a second, thinking of her next actions.

"Let's go to our room. I have a feeling you'll become quite noisy with the things I'm about to do to you. I'd hate having to deal with the hotel management right before my brother's wedding."

Amy agreed, she rushed to the elevator while Kamilah went to the car to pick up something. The girl grinned in excitement. She really had planned an eventful night for them.

"I need to make it even more special," she grabbed a new underwear inside her suitcase and changed. Then, she lied on the bed, waiting for Kamilah. "Come on... why is it taking so long?"

She decided to rest her head on the pillow and close her eyes until she arrived.

"Only for five minutes."

* * *

**Kamilah**

_'Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds'_. From the moment they brought the twins home from the hospital, Kamilah knew her marriage would never be the same. They were no longer just a _couple_ , they were now a _family_. Every plan to be made, every decision to be considered, every step to be taken, now included Amaya and Malik too.

Their routine changed drastically. Most part of their days was dedicated to caring for the twins. Changing diapers, feeding the babies, making them to fall asleep and attempt to figure out why they could be crying. Kamilah had to hire someone to help her to tend for her garden. Her visits to Ahmanet Financial also became even more rare, she worked mostly from her home office.

She and Amy barely had moments dedicated exclusively for themselves. For the last five months they didn't have the chance of having a single date night, or an intimate moment. Even the kisses and the love words decreased. Their whole affection belonged almost fully to their children now.

And that was the reason why Amy was so pissed off that morning.

When Kamilah woke up, she felt completely restored. Even being a vampire, she was tired from the sleepless nights taking care of the babies. She extended her arm, attempting to embrace Amy but she was no longer in bed.

"Amy?" Kamilah entered the bathroom, as she heard the shower was on. For her surprise, her wife was sobbing under the water stream. "What happened?"

"I can't believe I fell asleep!" She angered. "We were supposed to have _one_ night for ourselves. _One_ special night and I ruined it."

"I don't blame you, I was very tired myself."

"You should've waken me up! I wanted it, I _really_ did"

"This is okay, Amy," the female vampire gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll have another opportunity."

"When?!"

The girl left the shower and wrapped the towel around her damp body, marching back to the bedroom in a very irritated manner.

"Everybody told us it wouldn't be the same," she rasped, pulling out her dress from the baggage and throwing it on the bed. "I understand you have your needs, I really do. If it's about sex I hope you know you're free to seek for company, as I'm unable to satisfy you anymore."

"Amy..." Kamilah approached her wife, pressing her body against hers from behind, "I don't..."

"I mean it. For real."

When she was in such a mood, it was useless to try to calm her. Kamilah learned from some very hard experiences that Amy should be given space whenever she was too angry or frustrated. An outburst was the last thing they needed at the moment. It hadn't happened since Japan, but considering how frustrated the young vampire was, Kamilah could tell it was very close from happening again. She took a deep breath and went to Katherine's room to check out if her sister in law needed any help.

If it was simply about physical attraction and the pleasures of casual sex, the opportunity had presented itself right in front of Kamilah. Being responsible for checking out if the preparations for the wedding ceremony were running as expected, she and Amy were the first guests to arrive at the Hamptons' house. After making sure the buffet and the decoration were ready for the wedding, Kamilah decided to grab a drink at the bar to relieve the stress. That was when an anthropologist, friends with Lysimachus, decided to approach her. Holly also worked as a photographer, the reason why she was attending the party.

"Lysimachus has told me some fascinating stories about your past in Egypt," the young woman told. "I've always wished I had the honor of meeting you."

"Oh," Kamilah noticed the aura surrounding her. She was also a vampire. "Is that it?"

"Your war strategies were ahead of your time. You're an amazing character, Kamilah. Your strength is like no other, as well as your beauty."

Holly gazed deeply into her eyes, making Kamilah feel slightly uncomfortable. It was obviously her feelings extended admiration. She was being flirtatious.

"It was a pleasure to meet you," Kamilah stood up from the stool she was sitting. "But I should go."

"Wait," the anthropologist placed her hand over hers. "Would you mind taking a picture for my records?"

Before she could answer, the woman had already slipped a hand around her waist and pulled the camera, pressing her face against Kamilah's cheek to snap the picture.

When she left, Kamilah noticed Amy was watching everything from a distance. Her expression was a mix of jealousy and disappointment.

"Amy... I was..."

The girl simply shook her head in response, walking away to the outside. The wedding was about to begin.

Lysimachus' wedding was a beautiful ceremony. He and Katherine professed their vows and said 'I do' at the beach, right in front of the ocean. Thanks to Adrian's new serum, all of their vampire friends were able to attend the daytime event. Many of them took the opportunity to enjoy the sunlight and the ocean for the first time, after spending so long having to hide.

The party started right after and one of Kamilah's duties as her brother's best woman was giving the main toast of the afternoon.

"We're here today to celebrate Lysimachus and Katherine's union. Like me, my brother went through challenges that tested his abilities to feel. For a long time, we both thought we were no longer capable of love. When Lysimachus moved to New Orleans, he was in a search for himself. But he found a lot more. He found a business partner, a friend, a lover.

I'd like to quote William Shakespeare words I found appropriate for this occasion: _'Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds. It is an ever fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken. Love alters not with time's brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom'_.

My brother and his wife saved each other from the darkness both of them were submerged for years. Their love went through many proof and remained strong. Their love was capable of beating even death. Shall it remain intact and strong for the rest of their years together. Even in the darkest moments. To Lysimachus and Katherine!"

When she finished, there were tears in some of the guests' eyes. Lysimachus thanked her for the speech. Adrian was the next one to speak. Kamilah sat down on the table, where Amy was drinking multiple glasses of champagne in a row.

"Amy, can we talk?" She touched her wife's shoulder.

"Not right now, okay?" Amy stood up and disappeared inside the house.

Kamilah sighed, wondering if she was the one to blame. She knew she wasn't the best of the parents. While Amy knew exactly how to connect with the babies, she found difficult to display the same level of affection, to play with them as her wife did, doing faces and changing her voice tone. She wasn't even sure they liked her company. She was sure they preferred their other mom. All those feelings could make her become introspective and distant. From all the roles she ever played during her life, she was failing the most important. She didn't know how to be a good mother.

On the other side of the party, Holly took pictures of the guests, focusing especially on Kamilah. She watched her with malicious eyes, like a cat ready to capture its prey.

"Is everything okay?" Adrian asked when he returned to the table.

"It will be," Kamilah told. "I need to get out of here for a moment."

As she went to one of the bedrooms to search for her keys, the photographer joined her, proposing an affair and handing her a piece of paper with her hotel room address.

"It's not about love, Kamilah. But about the insatiable desire all of us vampires have. You, better than anyone, knows that sometimes one partner isn't enough. You need a lot more to tame the lust inside you."

Holly promised her a night filled with the most exquisite pleasures. Nobody needed to know. The secret would be safely kept among them.

Most of the vampires would agree, and even succumb to desire, but not Kamilah. Inside her car, she shook her head in denial. All she wanted was a manner to rescue her marriage. To reignite the flame that always existed between she and Amy from the moment they met. A lot was going through her mind at that moment, and she knew exactly where she was supposed to go to clear her mind.

She only returned a couple of hours later. The party continued, despite Katherine and Lysimachus having gone home already. Amy was nowhere to be seen among the guests, she was locked inside the main bedroom.

"Amy," Kamilah locked the door as she entered to guarantee them some privacy for that conversation.

"Kamilah," the blurred make-up suggested the girl had been crying. "Where have you been?"

The female vampire sat down by her wife's side on the bed, gathering courage for what she was about to speak.

"I must confess I've done things I'm not proud of."

"Did you... did you go see that girl? I didn't really mean what I said earlier. I... I can't stand the idea of sharing you with somebody else."

"Not that girl," Kamilah sighed. "But I went to see a girl, yes."

There was a long pause. Amy looked at her in disbelief, shocked to hear that confession. She seemed to be about to cry again, when Kamilah finished her sentence.

"I went to see our daughter, and our son too. I became what I feared the most I guess, one of those obsessive and controlling parents."

"No!" Amy yelled, before throwing herself on bed, unable to stop laughing. "Kamilah Sayeed is a _Momzilla_?"

"Don't act superior," Kamilah argued. "Your father told me you called about forty times and requested to see the babies on video to prove he wasn't lying."

"Okay, maybe we're obsessive and controlling parents then."

"We are."

"It's time to hire a nanny," Amy sighed defeated.

"I agree. It'll be the best for all of us."

Kamilah went to one of the drawers in the dresser, from where she pulled a secret bottle of champagne. She had to keep one secured, just in case they ended before her return. She and Amy started sharing.

"There's another thing I've done," Kamilah admitted. "Something criminal."

"Oh," Amy raised her eyebrows intrigued. "Now I'm curious."

"I went to check on the gifts my brother and his wife received. I... I borrowed a little something."

She showed Amy a fancy box she stole. It had a card, with a familiar handwriting and the words _'what's a party without a scandal?'_. It could only come from one person, Priya Lacroix.

"Sex toys," Amy grinned in anticipation. "It has to be!"

"I know," Kamilah carefully unwrapped it, "this is why I stole."

Inside the box, they found a pair of cuffs carved with some diamonds, along with a few other devices to improve the sexual experience. Amy held one of them in hands, examining its length and features.

"Hmmm," she said. "I was such a bitch this morning, wasn't I? Don't you think I deserve some punishment?"

Kamilah rolled on top of her wife, pressing her lips on hers. Their tongues moved together in complete synch, sending electric impulses all over their bodies.

"You've told me to pursue another woman," in one move, the female vampire flipped over Amy's body, cuffing her wrists behind her back. "You doubted my full commitment to our marriage..." she nibbled on the girl's earlobe. "I don't like it."

"Then you should _definitely_ do something about it," Amy spoke in a suggestive tone.

Kamilah smirked, placing Amy lying on her lap and lifting up her dress enough to expose her lower back. After carefully removing her underwear, she responded to her comment with a slap. Hard enough to hurt a bit, and also give pleasure.

"Ah!"

"Still think I should pursue another woman?"

"No," Amy said. "Actually, you should take me all for yourself. As hard as you can."

"As you wish," Kamilah started by teasing her, slowly and tenderly caressing her center. Her fingers sensing how much Amy desired her. The girl moaned in ecstasy as her fingers started working in and out.

For her wife's frustration, she stopped.

"What are you doing?" Amy complained.

"Only getting started."

The female vampire started stripping off her own dress and underwear. On her naked body, she adjusted the harness, as well as the toy she retrieved from the box.

"Get on your arms and legs," she ordered. "Now!"

Amy followed her command, closing her eyes and biting her lower lip in anticipation. Kamilah positioned herself at her entrance, where she began to thrust gently but firm.

"Kamilah..." the manner her wife started to moan her name drove her wild. "Give me more... give me all you've got..."

"What does the good girls say?"

"Please."

The female vampire intensified the rhythm, thrusting harder and deeper. The sounds coming from Amy's mouth were like a drug, stimulating her to go even further and send them both to the most wild experience of their lives. Taking advantage of the view in front of her, Kamilah brushed off Amy's hair from the back of her neck, applying a bite as she continued her movements. The girl cried out loud, coming off completely.

Kamilah released her from the cuffs, taking her in her arms on the bed. She could hear her quickened breath, as well as her thundering heart.

"Do you still have any doubts I want you, my love?" She placed a kiss on Amy's sweaty forehead.

The girl smiled, shaking her head in denial.

"There's just one problem though..." she said. "I'm not satisfied yet."

Grinning, she straddled Kamilah and gazed deeply inside her eyes, promising long hours of a blissful journey.

* * *

**Lysimachus**

Not long after the wedding ceremony, Lysimachus and Katherine were already back home. He insisted they should stay and enjoy more of the party at the Hamptons' house, but she didn't want to be away from their boys any longer.

But nothing meant they couldn't take the party home. While his wife took a shower and changed from her wedding dress, Lysimachus ordered someone to deliver some food and cake from the party. He also set the sound system to play the songs they had picked for the dance.

"Looks like I made the right choice marrying you," Katherine joked while they enjoyed some cake together. "That was the sweetest thing you've ever done for me."

"Yeah," he stole some of the cake from her plate. "I can be surprising sometimes."

"Speaking of surprises, I need to tell you something. It's about the baby's name, I... I didn't want any of those names we picked."

Lysimachus knew. He always knew. From the moment they discovered they were expecting a girl, there was only one name Katherine could choose for their daughter.

"You want to name her Ava."

"How did you know?"

"I was only waiting for you to tell me. I was going to suggest, but I feared it'd make you uncomfortable or something."

She wrapped her arms around him tightly. That night was one of the rare few moments Lysimachus saw Katherine's deceased best friend again. As the time passed, her presence among the living started to fade, suggesting she was getting ready to move on. In this last encounter she looked even more in peace. He knew it was the right thing to do, to honor the young woman that was so special to his wife.

"This song is a downer," Katherine complained while she and Lysimachus moved together, according to the music playing. "Why didn't you choose another?"

"Instinct," Lysimachus paused for a second before answering. He closed his eyes, feeling his wife's head against his chest. "And this is how I feel. How I was feeling when I was going through the songs to pick."

"This is okay, babe. I guess this depressing dark part of you is what attracted me anyways."

"God, you're so ridiculous! Do you know that?"

"And you love it."

"I do."

They both broke into laughs.

"At least it made Zayden fall asleep," Lysimachus looked at one of his babies, who had fallen asleep in Katherine's arms while they swayed to the music. "Kaleb is sleeping as a rock for a while now. Yes! Bonus hours for us! Best wedding gift ever."

"Don't celebrate this much yet," he didn't want to ruin her joy, but sleeping for hours straight had became a miracle in the last four months. "We don't know if it'll last."

"Yeah, imagine when there's three of them. We're so screwed."

The day they'd have three babies around, instead of two, was approaching quickly. Though this time there were no side effects, every appointment would leave Lysimachus scared and insecure. That one couldn't be any different, after all Katherine was already in the last trimester of her pregnancy.

"Hey," he jumped out of the couch when she got home later than expected. "You took so long, I was worried. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," she told. "I just went for a walk, brought some gifts to the boys."

Lysimachus placed a kiss on Katherine's lips and stroked her swollen belly.

"Know what I was thinking? They'll turn seven months old in a couple of days, we should do something together, as a family. I've been working too much, rarely spending anytime with them."

"Like what?"

"A picnic at the Central Park? We could even invite Kamilah and Amy too."

Lysimachus didn't want his wife to do any efforts, so he took care of everything. It was time he talked to Adrian and passed his current job to someone else. As much as he liked it, he already had missed multiple milestones of his sons growing up. With his daughter, he wanted it to be different. He wanted to be present at every moment.

"What do you think?" Katherine exhibited a new dress as they prepared to leave. "It's becoming hard to find something that fits."

"You look amazing," Lysimachus kissed her forehead.

"Can you finish getting the boys dressed by yourself? I gotta pee, again."

"Sure."

Dressing the boys was a terrifying task, not only because they wouldn't stop moving but because they'd start crying to the top of their lungs too. By the time Lysimachus finished, they were already running late.

"Katherine?" He called from the living room. "Are you ready, baby?"

There was no answer. She should be probably crying over the dress again. In this second pregnancy, she was very emotional and insecure over her body. Lysimachus placed the babies in the playpen and went to find her in the bedroom.

"Katy?" She wasn't there either. He knocked the bathroom's door, she didn't answer either. "Where are..."

Opening the door, the male vampire found his wife lying unconscious on a puddle of her own blood.

"Oh my god..." Lysimachus kneeled down by her side. Katherine's skin was so cold as it was pale. She was losing too much blood. He checked her pulse, it was becoming dangerously weak. "No... no..."

He could've called an ambulance, but they'd take too long to arrive and take her to the hospital. Without thinking twice, he placed her inside the car and started driving as fast as he could, passing every red light and screaming to the honking, impatient drivers on the streets.

"You will be okay," Lysimachus touched Katherine's knee as she slowly opened her eyes. "I promise."

She responded by forcing a weak, faint smile.

"I need a doctor!"

He entered the hospital carrying his wife in his arms. Seeing her state, a doctor requested her to be taken immediately to the emergency room. Katherine's vitals were extremely unstable, as well as the baby's. She'd have to go through an emergency c-section.

"Listen..." she spoke to Lysimachus, between ragged breaths, "if you have to choose between one of us... I want you... to pick Ava."

"Katherine, both of you are going to be alright, okay?" Lysimachus squeezed her pale and cold hand. Tears started rolling down his face. He had never been so scared before. "I won't have to make this choice."

"In case anything happens to me... promise me you'll always protect our kids... and tell how much I loved them."

"Stop... just stop! You're not dying. I won't let that happen."

The doctors started the procedure. It was different from when the twins were born. There was no excitement this time, only fear. Lysimachus' eyes were glued to the machines, displaying Katherine's oscillating vitals. After a few centuries, death had stopped having so much impact. Losing friends and lovers was something common for a vampire. Something they'd eventually accept and get numb to. But none of the people he lost before were the mother of his children and the woman he grew to love more than anything in the world.

"She's fine," the doctor's voice, followed by a loud and strong cry, announced the arrival of Ava Sayeed to the world. He handed her for Lysimachus to hold. She had dark hair and her mother's eyes and mouth.

"She's gorgeous," he opened a huge smile, showing Katherine their daughter. "Just like you, Katy."

The Nighthunter fought to keep her eyes open and turn her head to the side to take a look at the baby. She smiled briefly.

"Ava..." her voice was suddenly cut, giving place to the sound of machines beeping.

Time seemed to stop. The medical team took Ava from Lysimachus' arms and started to drag him away from the scene. He refused to move. He stood paralyzed in the same place. The doctors were attempting to bring Katherine back to life and failing. She wasn't reacting to any of the procedures they tried. Lysimachus remember the vision he had during his encounter with Demetrius. It was supposed to be one of the happiest days of his life, but it had been completely taken by a tragedy.

He looked at the monitor again. There was still a very slow activity on her life lines, a few beats of her heart that still connected her to the living world. He knew exactly what he had to do.

"Get away!" Lysimachus yelled, biting his own wrist and rushing to his wife side. The medical team screamed in panic as they noticed his vampire features. He opened Katherine's mouth, letting the blood flow down her throat. "Swallow it. Just swallow it."

For a few minutes, her heart stopped completely. But then, something changed. Her vitals slowly started to grow stronger again. The color began to return to her skin.

"I promised you," Lysimachus smiled and kissed her forehead, before falling on his knees from exhaustion and stress.

* * *

**Kamilah**

"What's wrong?" Amy asked while they had breakfast in that early morning of Fall.

Kamilah didn't know how to answer her question. Something was definitely wrong but she couldn't tell what. Gaius and Rheya were gone. Amy was immortal. Her children's vampirism was not active yet but they were immune to most of human diseases. They couldn't get hurt either, their supernatural DNA would instantly heal any wounds. Nothing bad could possibly happen. There wasn't any tragic scenario her mind could picture. Still, that familiar sensation of impending doom was crushing her chest.

"Kamilah?"

"I don't feel okay, Amy," she was finally able to speak. "I sense something terrible is about to happen."

"Come on," her wife softly stroke her arm, "we're going to the park to have a family day with Lysimachus and Katherine. Cheer up!"

"I'll try."

While Amy was finishing packing their stuff and place them in the car, Kamilah was holding Malik, who wouldn't stop playing with her hair while mumbling a few syllables.

"M-M... Ma..."

"Almost there, my love."

She glanced at Amaya, who was crawling around the living room too. Like Amy said, there was nothing to worry about. They had two healthy and smart eight months old twins and a wonderful marriage. Her phone started to ring inside her pocket.

"Hello?" She answered the call. There was a strange silence on the other side of the line.

"Kamilah..." it was her brother's voice. Except that he sounded desperate. "It's Katherine. She... she is losing our baby. I need help. I'll take her to the hospital, can you call a nanny for the boys?"

"O-Of course, brother. I'll meet you at the hospital."

After making sure Amy would be okay with their children, as well as her nephews with a nanny, Kamilah drove to the hospital as quick as she could. No one at the reception could inform her of Katherine's state. At the waiting room, the minutes seemed to last an eternity.

There was a huge commotion at one of the corridors. People were screaming and getting into a heated argument. Suddenly, her brother emerged through the doors. His clothes were soaked in blood. His eyes were deadly red and his fangs exposed. Doctors and nurses were frightened as he hissed at them in a threatening manner. It was the first time she saw him that way.

"Brother!" Kamilah yelled, trying to get him back to his usual self. "What happened? Why are you..."

Lysimachus relaxed at her touch. His features softened a little and he slowly regained his human form. His eyes filled with tears.

"She died, Kamilah," he cried. "Right in front of me. I couldn't let her die... I couldn't lose her..."

"Katherine? Did she..."

"I Turned her."

Kamilah knew what that meant. They'd be facing a huge trouble ahead. She immediately called Adrian and requested his presence at the hospital. As senator, he was the only one with enough power, and voice, to solve that issue.

"Don't look at me like that," Lysimachus angered upon her silence. "You'd have done the same for Amy."

"I'm not judging you, brother," Kamilah sighed, recomposing herself. "But I'm worried for you."

After the revelation about the existence of vampires to the world, some very severe laws were applied in order to maintain balance and control over their population, especially in New York City. No Turnings were authorized. The vampire who violated the law would be punished with death, as well as the newly-Turned.

"Kamilah, I need you to help me. It's not safe for her to stay here. Take her to a sarcophagus, I'll handle the situation."

"Brother... I can't leave you alone."

"Please. And take Ava too, or they'll take her from us."

Kamilah couldn't say no. Besides Amy and her children, her brother was the only person she'd burn the world to the ground for. Pulling her best Reaper Of Pompeii impression, she streaked through the corridors of the hospital, scaring away everyone who could prevent her from rescuing Katherine and Ava.

When she arrived at the emergency room, a nurse held a stake in hands, ready to pull it through the Nighthunter's heart.

"Don't you dare," Kamilah snarled. The mortal dropped the stake as her hands began to shake. When she fled through the doors, she took Katherine's unconscious body and placed her in the trunk of her car. She had been already too exposed to light. At this point, her life was already in danger.

"Amy, can you get a nanny too and go to Raines Corporation's basement right now? We have an emergency."

"Kamilah, what happened?"

"You'll be informed when you get there. We don't have much time."

Amy would be staying with Katherine for when she woke up. Kamilah returned to the hospital, where she retrieved her niece from a hidden space where she was being kept, as if she was some kind of abomination. They probably had intentions of getting rid of her too.

"Shhhh, aunt Kamilah is here now," her finger caressed Ava's cheek, while she rocked her in her arms, trying go get her to stop crying. "I'll protect you. I'll always protect you, little one."

"I'm sorry," Adrian joined her in her office at Ahmanet Financial, interrupting the moment with a small laugh. "Even after all these months I still haven't gotten used to this side of yours."

Kamilah rolled her eyes at him. Adrian's expression changed. He became serious and somber. Only by the look in his eyes, she knew something happened to her brother.

"I got bad news. They took him, and now they're also searching for Katherine and the baby too."

"What?!"

"Lysimachus was taken to a highly secured cell in prison. I'm doing my best to show the government his motives and get them to open an exception for the case."

Kamilah's intuition had never failed her. In that morning she knew something terrible was about to happen but she had no idea of the dimension. In only one day, she could lose not only her brother, but his entire family too."

* * *

**Amy**

The secret basement at Raines Corporation. That could only mean one thing. Something had gone terribly wrong to the point someone had to be Turned. That was what the place became familiar for. Lily, Amy and now...

"Katherine," Amy assumed. Lysimachus had called Kamilah desperate because she was losing their baby. "Oh god."

When it came to pick nannies, Amy found out Kamilah could be even more rigid than she was picking her employees. None of them usually passed the test, or they'd usually quit after a month. She was repeatedly trying to call each one of the women who worked for them in the last months, however none of them accepted to watch the twins even only for a few hours, while she handled Katherine's situation.

"So that's it, kids," Amy finished telling the babies while she found a place to park her car in Adrian's company parking lot. "Your moms are both vampires and so are you, even if you don't have fangs or need blood yet. That will happen someday. Now we must help aunt Katherine, who just joined our big vampire family."

When she looked at them in the backseat, they were giggling and smiling, having no idea of anything she had just said. After placing them both in a stroller, she ran to the main lobby.

"Mrs. Amy," Nikhil came to meet her, "I was waiting for you. Kamilah returned to the hospital, but Mrs. Katherine is in the sarcophagus. She died during childbirth and her husband had to Turn her."

"I'll handle it," Amy told him. "Thank god you're here, Nikhil. Would you mind watching Amaya and Malik for a moment? Thank you."

She didn't even wait for his answer, she rushed directly to the basement. Kamilah had already taken care of the procedures. There was still some long hours before Katherine was ready. Until then, Amy decided to prepare a surprise for when her friend for when she woke up. Her Turning didn't have to be so dramatic, after all now she'd have the eternity to spend with Lysimachus and their kids. That was something to be celebrated, not lamented.

"Please, don't become a Feral..." Amy spoke softly, placing a hand over the sarcophagus lid. "I can't lose you too."

Kamilah called with more bad news. Lysimachus was taken to prison and would likely to be punished with death. The state also demanded Katherine's execution and Ava's future was unknown. Adrian was trying to solve the situation, while the hospital tried to muffle the incident.

"What about the baby? She was born prematurely."

"She's okay. Adrian sent a private doctor to check her. I'm taking care of her now."

The watch started beeping. It was the moment Amy would be opening the sarcophagus and find out if the Turning had been successful.

"Are you sure you can do this by yourself?" Kamilah asked on the other side of the line. "If she's gone Feral..."

"I know," Amy tightened the grip against the ceremonial stake. "I'm Rheya's spawn, remember? I can handle it, in either cases."

Speaking the First Vampire's name brought a chill to Amy's spine, as if her presence was still lingering in the air.

Back to the basement, she gently pushed the lid, the Nighthunter slowly opened her eyes, instantly closing them again due to the hypersensitivity to the light. She sat down and looked around, trying to recognize her surroundings.

"Amy..." she spoke. "Where am I? What happened to me? I feel strange. I'm hearing sounds I never heard before. My vision is different too and... I feel extremely thirsty."

"You're a vampire now. You died while giving birth to your daughter, Lysimachus Turned you."

"That idiot! He'll be getting in so much trouble for me."

While Katherine had her first goblet of blood, Amy told her about the repercussions. They were unsure of what would be coming next. For now, her safest option would be stay hidden in Raines Corporation.

"Where are my children?" She wanted to know. "If someone has taken my babies, I won't hesitate going full Rheya mode on them."

"Don't worry, they're safe. Kamilah's bringing them."

After guiding Katherine to the suite, Amy went to the kitchen and returned with a cake she baked for the Nighthunter while she was unconscious.

" _Congratulations, you're a vampire,_ " she read, followed by a small laugh. "How considerate of you, darling."

"I wanted to lighten the mood," Amy smiled. "We already had a terrible day. I didn't want this moment to be any more difficult."

"It's not, trust me. While you were gone, I was testing some of my abilities. If I was such an amazing Nighthunter as mortal, now Ryder won't stand a chance."

"Well, I'm glad to know you're adjusting so well."

A moment later, Kamilah arrived bringing Katherine's children. They decided to give her some space for the first moment with her daughter.

"You're so tense," Amy embraced her wife. "Everything will be okay."

"What if they don't accept Adrian's appeal?" The female vampire vented, burying her face on Amy's neck. "They'll kill them both and... who knows what they'll do to the kids. It's starting to feel like the old times again!"

"Calm down, we'll find a way. We always do."

Kamilah gave her a small and tired smile, before pulling her to a kiss. When they finished, Amy could tell her wife had relaxed a bit.

"I don't know what I'd be without you. You're the calm in the middle of the storm."

"I can be either," the girl joked, nibbling on her lower lip. "The calm in the middle of the storm or the thunder that destroys everything. Surprisingly, I feel I managed to balance both of them."

"Yeah," Kamilah kissed her forehead. "You're a force of nature, Amy Sayeed."

The main doors opened and Adrian entered, followed by Lysimachus. Kamilah ran to her brother's arms, hugging him tightly. Amy called Katherine and she quickly joined them, bringing their daughter in her arms.

"I promised I'd save you both," the male vampire spoke to his wife, becoming very emotional.

"Except you almost got yourself killed in the process."

Lysimachus wiped off the tears from his face and rolled his eyes at her.

"I'm glad being a vampire didn't change you, Katherine."

"I consider it an improvement."

"She's a natural," Amy told, while watching their reunion.

"So Adrian," Kamilah interrupted. "I do not wish to ruin this moment but... how did you manage to free my brother?"

Adrian sighed and he gave them a concerned look.

"They agreed to let Lysimachus go on one condition," he announced. "They'll have to leave New York. At least for a while, until the incident is forgotten."


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- I’m sorry for taking so long with this one, as it’s the finale I wanted it to be perfectly splendid.

**_5 years later..._ **

**Kamilah**

The nightmares, they would never stop. Even after years, Gaius' presence still tormented Kamilah's dreams. The feeling of being controlled, chased and even punished still seemed real. She woke up earlier that morning gasping for air, with the sensation of having his hand gripping tight around her neck. For her relief, it was just another dream.

She inhaled deeply and looked to her side, where Amy was sleeping peacefully, occupying most of the bed space. Her mouth was open while she mumbled some random nonsense. Kamilah shook her head, opening a soft smile as she planted a kiss on her wife's forehead.

She got up and went to check on her children. The well-decorated bedroom was completely silent, suggesting they were still asleep. Kamilah had to be cautious to not step on the multiple toys spread around the floor. On a small activity table they had, she found the drawings they had made on the previous night. Malik had drawn what she assumed to be a pyramid and a pharaoh. Despite being so young, the boy was obsessed about his origins. He dreamed to be an archeologist, besides a CEO. As she observed Amaya's drawing, a shiver went down her spine. The girl had drawn a detailed and precise picture. A tree, from where blood was dripping. Along as three figures, two males on their knees and a standing female. They all had red eyes.

That was probably the reason why her daughter's bed was empty that morning. She was sharing the bed with her twin brother. Since her birth, the girl always refused to sleep on her own crib. For some reason, she'd only feel comfortable in Malik's company, or in one of her mothers' arms. As she grew up a little and started being able to express herself, they learned she struggled with terrible nightmares. Visions of events that caused her terror and panic. They could only conclude one thing, Amaya had inherited Amy's Bloodkeeper nature.

Kamilah turned around to leave, when a soft voice called for her.

"Good morning, mama."

"Good morning, my princess."

Amaya's brown eyes observed every moment she made, while preparing pancakes for breakfast. Besides drawing, the girl also loved to cook and dance. However, she had also inherited her other mom's clumsiness.

"I had a bad dream again," she said after some minutes in silence.

"And so did I," Kamilah told. "What was it this time?"

"I can't remember much, but there was an ugly and evil vampire. His name was Gaius and was hurting people."

The mention made Kamilah accidentally burn her own hand. She wondered how would it be when the day came where her daughter had visions about the terrible things she did in the past too. Luckily, Amaya couldn't remember much of her dreams. She'd soon forget about them.

"Hey, Clan Sayeed," Amy joined them in the kitchen, bringing Malik on her back. "What is smelling so good?"

"Pancakes," Kamilah pressed a quick kiss on her lips and another on the top of her son's head. "Amaya's favorites. And yours too."

"Sure, because you and Malik are Team Waffles."

"Exactly. We appreciate better things in life."

Amy stuck her tongue at her, getting a chuckle as response.

"Can we have waffles tomorrow, mama Kamilah?" Malik asked as Amy placed him on a chair.

"Sure, my love," Kamilah said. "You can pick whatever you want tomorrow. Today was Amaya's day."

The manner she glanced at Amy made obvious she was trying to comfort their daughter after another night of fear.

"Was it a bad night, baby?" Amy asked Amaya.

"It's okay," the girl started eating, completely relaxed. "I can't even remember much anymore."

They shoot each other a relieved look. After pouring herself some coffee and grabbing the newspaper, Kamilah finally joined her family at the table. Amy was distracted on her phone, checking the news on social media.

"I miss grandma," Amaya said, getting attention from both of her mothers.

"Grandma Judith?" Amy put her phone aside. "If you want we can call her later."

"No, she doesn't like us. I miss grandma Rheya."

The loud crack of Amy's cup falling from her hand echoed through the penthouse. Rheya was still a forbidden subject in their home. The younger vampire had developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after the confrontation with the First Vampire and Lily's death. The fact she was her descendant and carried those powers, still bothered her everyday. To the point she still needed therapy.

"What did you say?!" Her voice tone changed completely.

"I miss grandma Rheya," Amaya repeated.

"Did you..." Kamilah felt she needed to step in, "did you see her in your dreams, Amaya?"

"Yes, she told me she's proud of me and that I'll achieve great things when I grow up."

"Don't you ever repeat this again!" Amy raised her voice. Then, she stood up from her chair and rushed to the bedroom in tears.

Kamilah stood paralyzed, without knowing what to do. She looked at her daughter who was now looking extremely upset with her mother's reaction.

"I'm sorry, mama," tears started filling her little brown eyes. "I didn't want to hurt mama Amy."

"This is okay, my dear," Kamilah wrapped her arms around her. "Listen, mama Amy gets really sad when we talk about... _grandma Rheya_. Let's make a deal, if you ever dream about her again, you tell me first. Okay?"

"Okay."

Glancing to the side, Malik watched in shock the whole scene. That was a lot for his five years old brain to process. Kamilah sighed, recomposing herself.

"So, who wants to help me in the garden?"

Both of the kids quickly grinned and went to their bedroom to change their clothes. While they prepared themselves, Kamilah went to the bedroom to check on her wife.

"Amy?" She knocked on the door. "Please, open the door."

There was no answer. She decided to respect Amy's time. Whenever she was ready, she'd leave the bedroom or let her in. If there was one thing Kamilah learned in all those years together was that her wife could even more closed about her feelings than she was herself.

"This is going to be one of those days..."

\----------

**Lysimachus**

In his home office, Lysimachus typed a few more words on his laptop. His agent expected his next book to be complete before Winter. Since their move to New Orleans, he had dedicated his time to put all his memories into words, starting from his early days in Egypt to the painful centuries after Gaius Turned him into a vampire. The curiosity about unknown details of the most important historical events and the vampire life, made him a famous best-seller author.

Closing the laptop, he stretched him arms and glanced to his sides. The room was filled by boxes. Their move back to New York had been consuming most of his time in the last few days. Katherine thought it was the best now their incident had been forgotten. The children were about to start their first year of school and nothing better than the most vampire-friendly city in America, besides the company of their cousins, to help them to get used to this new phase of their lives.

Lysimachus placed a few more things in one of the open boxes, before a knock on the door interrupted him. He already knew who it was.

"Come in, Kaleb," he said.

Still wearing his pajamas, a little black haired boy entered the room and wrapped his tiny arms around him.

"Good morning, dad," he opened a brightful smile. That was Kaleb nature. He was always happy, no matter what, and he wanted everyone around him to be happy too. He was the sweetest and most caring of their three children.

"Good morning, buddy. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, the amulet you and mom gave me has banished all my nightmares."

"I'm glad to hear that," Lysimachus ruffled his hair. It was temporary. He and Katherine suspected Kaleb would become a psychic vampire once his abilities were active. He was having glimpses of visions of his parents' pasts, not nightmares. But it was too soon and difficult to explain that to a 5 years old.

Following his son, he walked headed to the kitchen, but before he needed to make sure the other two kids weren't bothering Katherine in the middle of a work phone call.

In the bathroom another little boy, identical to the first one, stood on top of a stool, examining his face in the mirror.

"Hey Z, what are you doing?" Lysimachus asked his other son, Zayden.

"Dad!" The boy jumped from the stool directly to his arms. "I was checking if my fangs are starting to grow. What do you think?"

"Trust me, son. It'll take a while."

Adrian's research suggested the children made from the Tree's blood would only acquire their vampire skills in adulthood. What would trigger the activation of the powers was still unknown. Yet, Zayden was obsessed with the idea since early. Everyday, he expected to be turning into a vampire, without knowing what that could bring.

The two boys sat down at the table to get their breakfast, when Katherine joined them.

"Morning handsome," she pressed a quick kiss on Lysimachus' lips. "Please, don't hate me."

"You know it's impossible, but... what's up?"

"Ryder has a job in France. He wants to come with him as it may have to do with our race. Many people and vampires have gone missing in the last few months."

"Okay," he assured his wife. "But you'll be back before we move to New York, right?"

"Yes," she served herself some coffee. "I'll be back until the weekend, don't worry. Do you think you can handle them by yourself?"

"Of course. I've been alone with them multiple times."

"Speaking of which, where's Ava?"

"I thought she was with you."

They both exchanged glances, wondering what their daughter was up to. Suddenly she emerged in the kitchen, wearing a Nighthunter outfit similar to her mom's, but more stylish.

"I'm ready," she announced. "I'm coming with you, mama."

"Sweetie," Katherine took her in her arms. "No. Not this time, okay? It's dangerous."

"But you promised."

"Yeah, I promised taking you to a small job, that offers no threat to your safety."

"You mean the boring and not-so-fun jobs?"

"Hmmm... sort of."

"Then I don't want it," Ava protested. "I want to go to a real job. I even wore the outfit aunt Priya made me."

Despite being the youngest, tiniest of the three, Ava was certainly the smartest and bravest. Though Katherine hated hearing that, their daughter was an exact copy of her. Not only physically, but especially her personality.

"Hey," Lysimachus shouted. "That was supposed to be your birthday gift. You're not turning five until next week."

"I know, but I found it in the closet. It had my name on it, so it belongs to me."

"God," Katherine sighed. "She's impossible."

" _Your_ daughter," Lysimachus joked, kissing his wife's forehead.

A few days after Katherine's departure, he thought it was a good idea to take the kids to the Bayou. Visiting their uncle Cal and playing with the werewolf children around, would always help them to cheer up, even if it was for the last time before their move. While they had fun at their camp, he sat down with Cal for a beer.

"How are you feeling about returning to New York?" The werewolf asked.

"Mixed feelings," Lysimachus told, taking a long sip of his bottle. "While I'm glad to be closer to my sister and her children, I feel my place has always been here. Besides, there's all those memories."

"Come on, man, it's all in the past now. Katherine is alive and more badass than ever, you got three rambunctious kids... what else do you want?"

Lysimachus looked around. Zayden, Ava and a couple of other kids were climbing a tree and jumping into the lake. Kaleb was learning to mix some herbs with an older boy. That was how peace was supposed to feel like, yet a feeling of uneasiness was always bothering his chest.

"I don't know. I guess I'm not used living in peace for so long."

After an active afternoon, the children were exhausted. Through the woods, Lysimachus started walking them home. He was still emerged on his thoughts, remembering his conversation with Cal. There was nothing to fear. After he became such a public figure, his family was known and respected worldwide. The incident during Ava's birth had been long forgotten and filed, Adrian made sure of that. Then, what was he afraid of?

"Dad, I'm scared," Kaleb pulled his shirt, getting his attention. "I feel a presence."

"Don't be a wimp," Ava rolled her eyes. "It's just an animal."

"Ava, don't talk to your brother like this," Lysimachus scolded. "Kaleb, it's probably just an animal."

The little girl crossed her arms and glared at him with the sarcasm she inherited from her mother.

"What did I say?"

A loud roar interrupted them. A two-headed undead creature emerged from behind a tree.

"Kids, stay behind me," Lysimachus took both of his daggers, waiting for the creature to make a move.

He lunged forward, ready to plunge his blades into one of its skulls, when the other head caught his legs between its huge jaw and sent him flying straight into a tree. As he tried to regain his conscience and heal from the injuries the collision caused, he watched as the creature started to move to his children direction.

"Run!" He yelled. "Run back to the pack."

The boys quickly obeyed, but not Ava. The girl stood frozen in place.

"Ava, run!"

She wouldn't listen. Lysimachus couldn't tell if fear had paralyzed her or if she was watching to see what the creature would do next. All he knew was that if he didn't move, his daughter could get seriously wounded.

He tried to get up, only to fall on his knees again.

The girl took a small crossbow from her back, aimed cautiously and without much thinking, she shot the first arrow. Right into one of the creature's heads. The creature cried in pain, getting even more rabid. It advanced in the girl's direction but she was not intimidated, she rolled to the side and prepared to shoot the second arrow. A precise and clear shot, straight into the monster's ribcage. Into its heart.

As the creature fell dead on the ground, Lysimachus stared in shock.

"Where the hell did she learn that?"

\----------

**Amy**

A lot had changed in Amy's life. When her brother in law, Lysimachus, was forced to move with his family to New Orleans, Adrian made her a proposal she couldn't refuse. She resumed her Business classes in college and became the new CEO of Raines Corporation in his place. Though that new life was exhaustive and hard, she managed to become a great and respected leader. That new life not only made her grow more mature and responsible, but helped her to connect even more with Kamilah.

But one thing she always promised herself, work would never be more important than her children. She always made time for them, no matter what.

Yet, when she was forced to work from home because they scared away the last nanny, it was driving her absolutely crazy.

"Of course, we're interested in closing the deal..."

_"You'll never catch me alive!"_ Malik's shouting from the living room interrupted the conversation, followed by the noise of the two vampire kids running around the penthouse.

"No, it was nothing," Amy excused to her client. "Can we set the date for our meeting? I'll be free next..."

" _That's what we'll see,"_ Amaya's voice echoed even louder. Suddenly the twins burst through the door, rolling on the floor with their wooden knives in hands. The girl's eyes met her mother's. "Ops."

"Monday."

Amy sighed deeply. At the same time she was heartbroken because her children would be starting kindergarten in only a few days, she was also relieved. They were becoming out of control. Spending all their energy in school would definitely be helpful, especially when Lysimachus and Katherine's children would be joining them.

"Grounded," she placed them both on the couch in front of her. "Again."

They had just been dismissed from the last punishment. An innocent prank that had gone seriously wrong. After stealing a bloodbag from the fridge, they pretended to have killed and fed from the neighbor's child, Colby. The vision of the twins soaked in blood, as well as the mortal boy pretending to be dead, made the nanny enter in a shock state. Even their cat, Beruthiel, participated somehow, guiding the nanny to the gruesome scene. In the end, the woman was so traumatized she had been threatening to sue the entire Sayeed family.

She looked at Amaya, remembering a few days earlier, when she mentioned her dreams about Rheya. The agony of that morning quickly returned to her chest. After making them both go to their bedroom and stay there, reflecting on their actions, she decided to call Katherine.

"Hey girl," she pressed the video call button on her laptop, getting immediately answered by Lysimachus' wife. "When you will be back? I need a favor."

_"What's wrong?"_ Katherine asked. _"I'm afraid this job will take longer than expected. I feel awful, it's Ava's birthday in a few days and I won't be there."_

"What is this job about anyways?"

Mysterious disappearances had been occurring all over France and other European countries in the last few years. The victims were male humans and vampires, most of them adults or teenagers. The police secretly requested Nik and Katherine's help when they suspected supernatural circumstances were involved in the case.

"What did you discover so far?"

_"Not much, except that all of them attended the same place or at least were in the building's surroundings. It's a vampire nightclub, ever heard of it?"_

"Wait," Amy remembered that place very well. During her honeymoon with Kamilah, they dropped by when they were visiting Paris. The place used to belong to Serafine Dupont, who had been missing since the night at the museum. "It was Serafine's nightclub."

_"Wasn't she dead?"_ Katherine wanted to know.

"No, she ran away that night. Vanished. We couldn't locate her anywhere."

_"Oh, I'll keep that in mind. Amy, what was the favor you wanted from me?"_

Amy swallowed dry, gathering courage to speak.

"I want to go back to the lake house," she told. "I must confirm Rheya's essence is still trapped."

_"Why? Have you felt anything recently?"_

"No, but I think she has been communicating with Amaya through dreams."

_"Okay, we can go as soon as I return."_

"Thank you."

As she hung up the call, she headed to the children's bedroom. They were distracted, playing with some toys on the floor. Amy recognized the Bloodbound cards in their hands.

"This is unfair," Malik lamented, staring at the card he was holding. "Uncle Lysimachus said mom killed the First Vampire, yet she's not the strongest card."

"We should fix it," Amaya grabbed a pen, adding some extra strength to Amy's card. "And also, another star. Because she's _Legendary_ , not only _Special_."

"How do you think it happened?"

"I don't know, but mama Kamilah definitely took the knives."

They both laughed, making Amy smile fondly. When the movie was released, some of their real names had been changed. Amaya had no idea Rheya was the First Vampire or that the same Gaius from her dreams, was the main villain in the motion picture.

_"God, I'm turning into my mom,"_ she reflected. Everytime she became too overwhelmed about her trauma, she'd change her behavior and lock herself in the bedroom for hours.

Whatever Rheya was attempting, it wouldn't work. She defeated her once and she'd do it all again to protect their children from her presence. Though she hadn't used her powers in years, they were still in there in case of need.

"Why don't I tell you guys how it happened?" She spoke, getting their attention.

"Mom!" The twins called at the same time, before involving her in a hug. "You said it'd be only when we were older."

"I suppose five is okay to learn a few details."

They sat down on the bed, listening to Amy's story.

"Okay, it all started when I became a vampire. Well, I died."

"You _died_?!" Malik widened his eyes in shock.

"Did it hurt?" Amaya asked.

"A little, but then mom Kamilah Turned me..."

\----------

**Katherine - Paris, France**

Days had passed without any further progress on the investigation. Katherine had been using Nik as bait, since he was a human and male, but apparently even the kidnapper felt intimidated by his usual cranky face and lack of humor.

"Another wasted night," she lamented, observing the male Nighthunter sitting on Serafine Dupont's nightclub and having a drink through a body attached camera.

_"It was your idea,"_ Nik argued. _"I told you we should be asking around, interrogate the victims' families."_

"It's not my fault you don't make yourself an attractive bait."

_"Why don't you come here instead, huh?"_

"They're not interested in women, Ryder."

While he grumbled insults, she muted the ear plug. It was still early in New York. Lysimachus should be there with the kids already.

"Damn it," Katherine ran a hand through her smooth magenta hair. She'd miss her children first day of school and possibly her daughter's birthday party. The situation caused her some distress. She remembered her own childhood, where she rarely had her parents around on her birthdays. They'd often bribe her with some expensive gifts to try to make it up for their absence.

Ava was growing up quickly. In an instant she was a premature baby, which birth caused a lot of trouble and in consequence, their forced move to New Orleans. Now she was about to turn five, like her brothers and cousins. The girl was extremely brave, determined and skilled for her age. The fact she was able to hunt a monster all by herself in the Bayou a few days earlier was quite a surprise, she was only taught the basics of self defense by her parents.

The female Nighthunter dialed her husband's number.

"Hey, how are you? Are you in New York already?"

_"We're good. The kids are in bed. We spent the day touring around the city, visiting some old friends. They're excited to have some classes in Jax's martial arts center."_

"Listen, I promise I'll be there soon. If I can't close this case in the next two days, I'll quit."

_"Katherine, you know I'll always support you..."_

She knew he would, but it wasn't enough. She wouldn't repeat her parents' mistakes.

"I won't miss Ava's birthday. I can't."

They spoke for a couple more minutes about the case. Lysimachus' suspected Serafine could be involved. She wasn't in good terms with the group last time they saw her. Her beliefs about Rheya had severely affected her common sense.

"I'll ask around. Try to find out if anyone has seen her lately," Katherine turned her attention back to the screen and noticed Nik wasn't anywhere to be seen.

_"Yes, she has had many identities before. She could have easily be living under a new name."_

"I gotta go! Ryder!" She reactivated the ear plug and yelled. "Ryder, are you listening?"

There was no answer. She enabled the GPS tracker, noticing he was moving to a suspect location. The catacombs. Grabbing her Sai and other sorts of weapons and artifacts, she was ready to follow the tracks.

It wasn't hard to figure out how to access the secret entrance, however the catacombs seemed like an endless labyrinth. Katherine closed her eyes, focusing on her vampire senses. Though she was new, she had spent a long time training her abilities. Distantly, she started to hear some chanting. She headed in the direction of the voices.

Another secret passage and a sealed door. She plugged a device on it that automatically overrode any locks that could prevent her from advancing, even locks sealed by magic.

"What the fuck?" She muttered as she passed through the door, walking into a cave. Some sort of cult had started a ritual. She hid behind a large rock to observe.

"And tonight, we're one step closer to our reunion," their robbed leader spoke, in front of some sort of altar. Nik was by her side on his knees, his hands were restrained and his mouth gagged. "By the hands of her Daughters, our Goddess, Rheya Apostolous, will rise again."

Hearing that voice with a French accent made Katherine confirm Lysimachus' suspicions. Only one person spent her life so obsessed with the First Vampire's return, and was willing to do anything to please the woman she considered a Goddess. Serafine Dupont.

"May Goddess Phampira accept our sacrifice in blood and turn it into strength for Rheya come back to life," from the altar, she took a dagger pressing it against Nik's throat.

Katherine grabbed a vervain grenade from her belt. After wearing a mask to protect herself from its effects, she removed the pin and threw it in the middle of the group.

"Help! Help!"

"We're under attack. We've been discovered."

The toxic smoke caused a commotion. Vampires started to cough and run away. Except for Serafine. Even weakened and gasping for air, she stood still and loyal to her purpose.

"Get away from him!" Katherine appeared behind her, pressing the Sai's edge on her back.

"Traitors," Serafine gritted her teeth in anger. "You will pay! You all will pay for taking Rheya's life!"

Using her psychic powers, she entered Katherine's mind, forcing her to her knees, but not for too long. Under the effects of vervain, her powers were too limited. The female Nighthunter was only incapacitated for a couple of minutes, time enough for Serafine to escape after her cultists. Before walking away, she made a promise:

"We'll meet again."

After freeing Nik, Katherine examined the cave. Behind the altar, there was a growing tree. Its roots connected exactly to the spot where the sacrifices were offered.

"The tree grows from the blood of both humans and vampires they sacrifice," Nik explained. "It started growing from Rheya's ashes she managed to collect the night she died."

In the altar, a book was lying open. Katherine recognized it as the Book Of Blood, however there was a recent new entry, added six years earlier. Some sort of prophecy written by Rheya herself before her death.

"Oh no," the words she read sent a shiver down her spine.

\----------

**Amy**

The day had finally arrived. In the last couple of years, Amy had been longing for her children to start school but now, she couldn't help feeling emotional. Amaya, Malik and their cousins would be vampires among a mostly mortal school. Though they didn't show any signs of vampirism yet, everyone knew who they were. As much as Kamilah tried to keep their lives private, the entire world knew about the twins since their birth.

"Okay..." she tried to hold her tears as they stopped in front of the school, "let's recap one last time. What are the essential words we learned?"

" _Please, excuse me_ and..." Malik was pensive for a second. " _I'm sorry._ "

"Amaya?"

_"My mom can buy this school,"_ the girl laughed.

"Amaya!"

"I'm joking, mom. What Malik said."

"That's correct," Amy sighed in relief. "And if anything happens, don't hesitate to seek for an adult and ask for help."

Malik nodded, while Amaya rolled her eyes. A terrible habit she learned from Kamilah.

"Now come here..." she couldn't hold her tears anymore. Kissing each one of twins' foreheads, she knew it was time to leave them. "Goodbye, and good luck. I love you guys."

"I love you too, mama," the little boy wrapped his arms around Amy's neck, before running to meet his cousins inside the school.

"Stop, I'm embarrassed," Amaya stood with her arms crossed, staring at Amy. Then, she opened a smile and hugged her mother too, whispering softly, "I love you too."

As soon as Amy made sure both of them were secure inside their classrooms, she entered her car and broke into sobs. She'd miss them terribly. Without thinking twice, she drove to Ahmanet Financial to get some comfort from her wife.

"I just realized..." she cried, "they're growing up so fast! Only yesterday they were speaking their first words and now Amaya told me I was embarrassing her in front of her friends."

"It's part of life, Amy," Kamilah continued to be focused on her papers. "Now they'll finally learn some discipline. They'll spend time and energy around other kids too. I'm sure it'll improve their behavior. At least I hope so."

"Maybe we should have another baby."

Kamilah finally set her papers aside and looked at her.

"You're not serious. Are you?"

"Maybe," Amy told. "You could carry the baby this time."

Kamilah got up from her chair, coming behind her and brushing off her hair. While the female vampire kissed her exposed neck, she spoke: "The nanny asked 500,000 dollars to not proceed with the lawsuit. She claims she'll need therapy for life."

"Okay. Maybe I wasn't serious after all."

"I have something that will make you feel better," Kamilah returned to behind her desk, pulling a black envelope from one of the drawers. "Priya invited us for her newest fashion show tonight. She sent dresses too."

"I'd love to go," Amy said. "If we still had a nanny."

"I took care of it, Nikhil is watching them tonight. We deserve a night for ourselves."

"Yay! Parents' Night Out."

After feeding the twins and put them to bed, Amy admired herself in the mirror. The red dress Priya designed exclusively for her was the definition of perfect. Kamilah's blue dress was equally stunning.

"Are you ready?" She asked, taking Amy by the hand.

"Sure."

Outside the building, there was a limo waiting for them.

"Whoa, you've put all your efforts into making this night fun."

"I don't know about 'fun', but at least it'll be enjoyable."

Amy playfully nudged her before serving them both a glass of champagne. Then, she approached Kamilah on the seat, placing a hand on her inner tight.

"So," she grinned, "do you know how we could take advantage of all this space?"

"I have a few ideas in mind," Kamilah gazed deeply into her eyes, making her stomach flip in anticipation. "But-"

The girl didn't let her finish, leaning forward she pressed her lips against her wife's. Her hands traveling higher as her tongue moved sensually against her wife's.

The door being opened interrupted them, Amy quickly pulled away.

"I-I'm sorry," Lysimachus spoke as he entered the limo. "If you want I... I can use my car."

"No," the girl felt her cheeks burning, "it's okay."

Kamilah didn't say a thing, she sipped her champagne in silence.

Priya's club had gone under some major modifications. Since she spent too long away from New York, and as a manner to repair some damage caused by one of her clan members, she accepted Liv Denara as her associate. She could use part of the club for her shows too.

A table had been fully reserved for the group in a privileged spot. Adrian, his fiance, and also Jax, were already there. Before the show started Kamilah, Amy and Lysimachus were invited to the backstage.

"What does she..." Amy opened the curtains to find out Priya on a couch, squeezed between a male actor and a female model, both of them naked and caressing her body. "Oh god."

"And I thought she was maturing," Kamilah lamented.

"You're finally here!" Priya dismissed her guests and opened up a grin, indicating them to approach. As they did, she cocked her head to the side. "Where are them?"

"Katherine apologized," Lysimachus told. "She's finishing a job in Paris and she couldn't come."

"Oh, whatever. I can invite her for a drink later. I mean, where are the baby vamps?"

"Why do you think I'd allow my children anywhere near this club?" Kamilah asked. "It's obvious we didn't bring them."

"Ava threw sort of a tantrum when I told her she couldn't come," Lysimachus was a little more fond of the idea of having the fashion designer around his children. "Actually, she made me promise you'll attend her birthday party tomorrow."

"Of course! How could I miss my goddaughter's birthday?!"

" _Goddaughter_?!" Kamilah yelled at her brother. "Are you serious?"

"Come on, sister. You're the boys' godmother, between Priya and Ivy, Katherine thought..."

The female vampire rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"It doesn't matter!" Priya interrupted the argument. "I wanted them to present my new line to the world _'Lacroix For Children'_."

At first the three vampires only exchanged looks, wondering if that was a joke or even appropriate. But once the show started, they were surprised when Lula and a vampire boy entered the catwalk wearing Priya's designs.

"Whoa," Amy exclaimed, snapping some pictures with her cell phone. "Those are actually cute. Amaya is going to love that dress."

"Right?" Lysimachus laughed. "Could you guys imagine someday Priya would be trending for something that isn't scandalous or bad?"

"This world has really changed," Kamilah shook her head in denial, taking a sip of her drink.

The crowd clapped when the display of the children's line ended, giving place for the adult collection. As soon as the female models started to walk the runway, Lester invaded the show and started dancing among them.

"No!" Priya let out a terrified scream. "Get out! You're ruining my show. I hate you!"

The security team attempted to grab him, but he successfully evaded them, running to the backstage. The fashion designer following right behind.

"I'll kill you!"

"Or not," Amy smiled at her wife. "I don't think much has changed at all."

\----------

**Kamilah**

"I have an important phone call to answer."

That was Kamilah's excuse to spend some alone time in her office. It was her niece's birthday and since Lysimachus' new home was still a mess, she agreed to throw the birthday party on her penthouse. She quickly regretted this decision, considering she had five vampire children running around the place and a lot of people to greet and speak to.

"Cheers," she clicked her glass with Ava's. While she drank some bourbon, the girl sipped on her soda.

Ava had entered her home office somehow. Kamilah was sure she had locked the door, but her niece still found a way in. But she didn't disturb her peace or anything, she only walked around the place, hypnotized by the beauty of her artifacts and the shelves filled by books in many languages.

"Aunt Kamilah," she spoke, watching as Kamilah pretend to work on her laptop, "when I grow up I want to be you."

"Oh," the female vampire closed the laptop. "I don't think I'm a role model to be followed, Ava."

"Why not? You're rich and beautiful and... powerful."

She let out a small laugh, taking the girl in her arms. She was only a couple of inches shorter than Amaya, what meant that would no longer be possible soon. Those kids were growing up too quick. Amy was right about that.

"And intelligent," Ava added, her hands touching the books from the higher shelves.

"I thought you wanted to be a Nighthunter, like your mom."

"I can be both! She's also..."

"Rich, beautiful, intelligent and powerful. And you're a miniature of her," Kamilah playfully pinched the girl's nose, raising a giggle.

"There you are," Katherine appeared by the door. Ava quickly jumped out of Kamilah's arms to meet her.

"Mama!"

"Were you disturbing your aunt's work?"

"She wasn't," Kamilah interrupted. "I was just... taking a break from the party. You know?"

"I do," Katherine walked to her desk, serving herself some of the bourbon. "Relax, I often need these breaks too. People are exhaustive."

"Uncle Jax gave me a katana," Ava told, interrupting both of the women. "I'll get it to show you."

"I'll be there in a moment, sweetie. Now I need to discuss some boring adult stuff with Aunt Kamilah, okay?"

"Okay."

The girl left the office, joining her brothers and cousins.

"I'm sorry," Katherine said. "She's quite of a handful."

"And so is Amaya," Kamilah joined her on the couch. "I'm kinda used at this point."

"It's about them I'd like to talk about."

"What have they broke this time? I hope it's not too valuable."

Amy entered the room. Katherine wanted her to be part of the conversation too. She pulled an old tome from her purse. Kamilah recognized it instantly. The Book Of Blood.

"What's going on?" Amy asked. "I was a little worried when you wanted to see me in private. Now with this book..."

"I... It's about the case Nik and I were working together in France," the Nighthunter started to tell. "Serafine Dupont started a cult. She gathered Rheya's ashes and from the ashes, a new tree is growing, hidden inside their cave."

"Oh no. Is Rheya..."

"I don't know, Amy. They were offering blood sacrifices to feed the tree. But it's possible."

The girl clenched her fists and her eyes filled with tears. Kamilah placed a hand on her tight, trying to calm her down.

"This isn't the worst part. Before she died, six years ago, Rheya wrote one last entry to the book..." Katherine started reading. _"A new generation will come. They're not created from blood, but from the sap of the tree itself. They'll become Goddess Phampira's new gift to our race. Among them, a chosen one. The one who will unlock the key, trespassing the barriers between life and death. From this day, the skies shall turn red, the earth shall be torn asunder, and The First shall walk again."_

"It's Amaya," Amy said between sobs, "I knew it. When the dreams started and Rheya's presence in them... she's the chosen one."

"I'm not sure," Katherine added. "When Lysimachus was stabbed, Demetrius became part of him. And then we did that ritual on the lake house. Rheya's essence isn't there, I just checked."

"What are you suggesting?" Kamilah still couldn't connect the dots.

"Rheya told me I had potential back in the museum. Not to be a host, but... to carry her essence and pass to a new viable target. It's Ava. This is why her pregnancy was so so different from the boys', starting by her conception."

The female vampire walked to the window in silence. She could sense a new storm would be coming someday. She sighed.

"We won't know. At least not until they've fully transformed. Until there, we need to keep an eye on both."

\----------

**Amaya**

Distancing themselves from the party, and especially from the annoying boys, the girls giggled as they locked the bedroom's door.

"Let me in," Malik begged outside. "It's my bedroom too!"

"It's a girls only area," Amaya shouted. "Go away or... face the consequences."

"What are you two doing in there? I'm going to tell our moms."

"Witchcraft," Ava answered, laughing at her own response. She lowered her voice to speak to her cousin, Amaya. "Sort of."

They both laughed again. As they noticed Malik had walked away, they were safe to start.

"You first," Ava said. "Show me what you learned."

"Okay..." Amaya focused on a coin she placed between them on the bed.

It started one afternoon while she was playing with her brother. They accidentally bumped into on of the displays around the penthouse. A vase from Ancient Egypt was about to crash in a million pieces on the floor. Kamilah would yell this time. The twins didn't know when their oldest mom was scarier, when she yelled or when she'd just stare at them in silence. Amaya just wished she could prevent it from falling. She shut her eyes close, ready for the loud noise it would make, and the following reactions. But it never happened. When the girl opened her eyes again, the vase was floating in the air. Then, she was able to grab it and find a way to safely return it to the display.

She opened her eyes again and the coin was also floating in the air for a few seconds, before falling back to the bed.

"Whoa!" Ava exclaimed.

"I've been training for a few days now, but it's still hard to keep them in the air. Your turn now."

"Give me your hand," the younger girl asked. Amaya followed her order. "Close your eyes and I'll connect our minds."

"Okay," Amaya told. "I can feel it. I can see your house in New Orleans and... the monster you killed in the woods."

"Great, it worked. Now, why don't you show me your grandma Rheya?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End.
> 
> Thank you for sticking with me during these two years. I hope you enjoyed this series’ finale!


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